John Tymos

John was born in Buzhkovychi, a small village in the northwest corner of Ukraine on the Polish border, to Leon and Anna Tymoschuk.

At two years of age, John’s mother, Anna, passed away after childbirth. John then went to live with his mother’s sister and her husband, Maria and Memetro Kovaluk. Johns’ father, Leon, remarried and moved to Canada with John’s older brothers. John’s aunt and her husband were to follow John’s father to Canada but instead they took John to Paraguay, South America when John was seven years old. John lost contact with his father and brothers for 20 years.

In Paraguay, John worked on his aunt and uncle’s homestead farm until he reached the age of 22, when he moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina where he worked in fine furniture construction. John met the love of his life, Maria Yuevchuk, and married her in 1957. John and Maria had three children in Buenos Aires: Paul, Johnny and Anna.

In 1961, John’s father, Leon, came to Buenos Aires and convinced John and Maria to move to Canada. In the fall of 1962, John and Maria and their three young children boarded a cargo ship and sailed up the coast of South America through the Panama Canal to San Francisco. There they boarded a Greyhound bus for the trip to Vancouver, British Columbia to start a new life. Over the following few years, two more children were added to the family, Linda and Jane.

John worked hard, starting over at 36 years old in a new country. The family came to Canada with very little money and not being able to speak the local language. John went to night school to learn English and during the day he worked as a hardwood floor installer with BC Hardwood/Beatty Floors for 28 years. Once he retired, John and Maria bought property in Surrey and started a small hobby farm. They tended an extensive garden and raised chickens and small livestock, enjoying life on their farm.

John was admired by many for his wisdom, his steadfastness and faithful love of his family.

John is survived and missed by Maria, his loving wife and partner of 65 years, their five children, nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

He will live in our hearts and memories forever. He is gone but his passion for life, strength and love for his family will never be forgotten.

We love and we miss you Tato.