Joao Johnny Marcelino de Jesus

Joao Marcelino de Jesus was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “if it isn’t logical, it’s not important.” The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Johnny’s life. He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Johnny was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Johnny said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

       His parents were Jose and Ana de Jesus. Johnny was raised in Capetown, South Africa. Even as a small child, Johnny wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Johnny grew older, he realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, he treated everyone around him the same way. This belief in fair play served Johnny well throughout his life and despite his natural shyness; he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

      Since Johnny sought to treat those around him with respect, he often found himself in the role of playing peacemaker within his family. He was comfortable in working through the types of sibling rivalry situations that quite often occur, because he loved the challenge of conflict resolution. He would look at the most reasonable and practical ways to settle any disputes. Johnny was raised with one. He had an older brother Manny. Johnny was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. Johnny and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they shared many life experiences.

      During his childhood, family and friends viewed Johnny as a quiet and reserved person with what most would consider a calm and tranquil demeanor. In fact, he was a fairly curious child who had the ability to entertain himself and didn’t require much in the way of outside stimulation. A great deal of Johnny’s free time was spent learning how and why the things around him worked. He was an active child who loved being outdoors and absorbing all the sensory input that nature could provide. He took part in wrestling. In his spare time he liked books on American heroes. Johnny's memorable achievements included notable compositions in English class.

      Those who didn’t know Johnny well might have thought him to be objective and somewhat emotionally detached, but family and friends who were close to him knew that he was capable of unexpected flashes of humor. Johnny’s good friends tended to be “thinkers” like himself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Johnny liked nothing better than to spend his free time with them. Johnny was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding his true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from his friends because they understood and appreciated him for the person he was. While growing up, some of his best friends were Sedge dePinto, Robert and Vivien Goncalves, Okkie daSilva. Later in life, he became friends with Karl Moritz and John Ward-Leighton.

      This same loyalty and up front honesty Johnny shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On November 1, 1969, Johnny exchanged wedding vows with Luanne Shantz at the St. Andrews United Church of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Johnny’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Lu's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

Johnny was blessed with two children, one son, Raul, one daughter Miranda. They were also blessed with three grandchildren, Angelo, Cristan, and Montague. Johnny was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, he would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Johnny was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Johnny’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

      For Johnny, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to him in appreciating its importance. Even if he worked alone on an assignment, Johnny was able to incorporate and welcome new insights from co-workers, and he would readily use them if they improved the process. His primary occupation was hair stylist. Johnny always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

       Recreational sports included wrestling, body building and cycling. Johnny was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were boxing and soccer.

      Johnny was an asset to any organization he joined. In many ways, he was a man of action who would rather tackle a job than spend time chatting about irrelevant things. Throughout his later years, Johnny was an active member of the Arts Council and amateur photography.

      If Johnny believed in a cause or an idea, he was willing to work hard on its behalf. Strong interest in politics but no membership in any organizations.

      Because he was a man who let his actions speak for themselves, Johnny didn’t find it necessary to brag or boast. But it wasn’t always possible for him to conceal his accomplishments. Others who recognized his achievements made certain that he was honored for them. Some of his awards were in English composition writing and a Science of the Mind 1988 award " You Are the One series" for photography.

      Johnny appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel and get away on a vacation. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation included travelling the Camino Pilgrimage from France to Spain three times by bicycle. He thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as he prepared for an upcoming trip.

      Johnny was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Johnny always had dogs of many shapes and sizes and he loved them all.

      Johnny passed away on November 18, 2012 at North Shore Hospice. Memorial Service will be held at Boals Chapel North Vancouver at 2 pm on Thursday November 29 2012. Cremation.

       He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. Joao Marcelino de Jesus will be greatly missed.

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de Jesus, Joao "Johnny," born July 17, 1937 passed away peacefully at North Shore Hospice, North Vancouver,BC, Canada, Nov. 18, 2012 surrounded by his family. Predeceased by his Mother Ana, Father Jose and Brother Manuel in Cape Town, South Africa and survived by his wife Luanne, son Raul, daughter Miranda (Vit), and grandchildren Angelo, Cristan and Montague, niece Kelly and nephew Juan and many relatives in South Africa, Portugal, Ontario and New York. Thanks to Dr. McWhinney, home support staff, LGH & hospice staff. Service to be held at First Memorial Funeral Home, Boal Chapel, 1505 Lillooet Rd., N. Vancouver, BC on Nov. 29, 2012 at 2:00PM. In lieu of flowers, donations to Canadian Cancer Society,or Heart & Stroke Foundation greatly appreciated. www.firstmemorialfuneral.com.