Ronald Ron John Mack

Ronald John Mack was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

His parents were William and Ruth Mack (nee Willows). Ron was raised in Plymouth, Devon, England. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Ron was raised with one older Brother, William, known as Bill. Ron’s Sister Doreen, the eldest sibling of the family, died of meningitis when she was five or six and this was before Ron was born.

His father unfortunately passed away from a work related injury at the dockyard during the Second World War, when Ron was only 8 years old. This left his mum the responsibility of bringing up two young boys on her own. This experience was a formative one for Ron and throughout his life he was consistently loyal to his family.

Ron's school days were interrupted by the Second World War as he was evacuated away from Plymouth, which as a naval port experienced heavy bombardment. So to keep the children safe they were sent into the countryside. Ron was sent to Newquay and then on to Truro. Being away from his family was a difficult time for him. Eventually his mother was able to take him back to Plymouth.

Despite this fractured learning Ron passed the examination for entrance into the Dockyard to take an apprenticeship. His Mother was very proud, as his family were labourers and she saw this as a step up for her son. She delighted in her sons both becoming qualified tradesmen.

Ron was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his interest and memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Ron always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

He managed to have a pretty good time as he grew up and made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. Ron was never someone who needed to be the center of attention.

As a child Ron took part in soccer, cricket and boating. He excelled at soccer and was a member of the regional Plymouth team which provide an opportunity for him to play at the city stadium. Ron was also a member of the Cubs and the Scouts and Sea Cadets. In the Sea Cadets, his memorable achievements included being the Chief Petty Officer of the Cadet Corps. He was also coxswain of their rowing team which won many rowing races around the South West of England. The Sea Cadets also provided invaluable and many interesting experiences. For example he was one of two cadets that were selected as junior crew on a ship that sailed to such places as Cherbourg, Amsterdam, and Kiel Canal. This was exciting stuff for a fourteen/fifteen year old boy!

Life as an apprentice brought with it a new set of challenges, but Ron handled them well. Being a critical thinker who always remained intellectually independent, Ron was able to focus on the task at hand. The ability to efficiently complete the task at hand was a skill that served Ron well during his apprenticeship and on into his working life. He earned his Sailmaker qualification from the apprenticeship programme at Plymouth Naval Dockyard. After graduating as a journeyman sailmaker he continued on for two years, earning his Master Sailmaker designation. Ron's favourite tutor and great mentor was Austin Finch of Brixham. Austin was nearing retirement when Ron was an apprentice. Austin had been a sailmaker on the great square riggers and clipper ships that sailed around The Horn. Austin was very patient and very generous in spending time to hand on his knowledge and expertise to the apprentices. Ron's enthusiasm, intellectual curiosity, hard work and his interest in the historical aspects of sailmaking endeared Ron to Austin and so it was natural that Ron became Austin's favourite apprentice. Ron served as Senior Apprentice during his last two years training.

Ron greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. After finishing his apprenticeship he was employed for three years at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Plymouth, England.

While growing up one of his best friends was a fellow apprentice nick named, "Maddow". Later on he walked into a chemist shop and met a lad named Ken who was starting his pharmacy apprenticeship. Thus started a most significant and enduring friendship that was to last the rest of their lives. Ken was also interested in sailing. Ron had joined the Mayflower Sailing Club in Plymouth and now had his own dinghy. So Ken and Ron often used to go sailing together all around Plymouth Sound and the Tamar River, thus laying down precious memories of their time together. Memories such as the time they took the dinghy out one summer's day together with their "portable' radio (huge and weighty) and lay on the boat drifting around the Sound listening to the BBC broadcast of 'Horatio Hornblower". Or the time that they returned from sailing ravenously hungry and proceeded to consume two orders of 'bacon, egg and chips' each. Thus developed a lifelong friendship which survived separations as they each took their own path on life's journey.

After finishing his apprenticeship he was employed for three years at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Plymouth, England. He then immigrated to Canada. He crossed the Atlantic on the SS Homeric landing at Quebec City on the 10th May 1955. He was meant to have landed at Montreal but the ice in the St. Lawrence would not permit them to steam further up river. From Quebec City he took the train (CPR back then) across Canada, finally arriving in Vancouver. In Vancouver he worked for a short while with a local sailmaker before trying his hand at the Pulp Mill at Port Alice. This was quite an experience for him, long days, hard physical work, swollen hands and evenings watching the Chinese workers playing Mah-jong throughout the night. However despite the lure of relatively high wages, after three months he found that he could not take the tedium any longer and returned to Vancouver. From here he decided to try his luck in Victoria as he had learned of the naval dockyard there. He crossed on the CPR ferry which at that time sailed into the Victoria's Inner Harbour. As the ship was docking Ron took one look at the flowers spelling out "Welcome to Victoria" and said; "this is it"; he knew that Victoria was going to be his home.

On arriving in Victoria he walked up Johnson St. passing Jeune Bros. He noticed that they were advertising for a manager. He walked in and offered his services. Mr. Jeune took him on and after two weeks said that Ron could have the job. Mr. Jeune had wanted to retire for two years but had been unable to find anyone who could take over the running of the business. After eight or nine years Ron started his own sailmaking business on Johnson Street in Victoria. He ran this business for eleven or twelve years before joining the federal government for the last 17 years of his working life. He was in charge of the Sail Loft and Life Raft department at DND in the Naval Dockyard at Esquimalt.

After immigrating to Canada, Ron initially continued to play soccer in Victoria. However, sailing was his first love and he joined the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. Ron was an active member, involved in all club activities which of course included a lot of yacht racing. It was during this time he met Ron Barber and John Malleson who remained friends throughout his life. Through his association with the Yacht Club, Ron competed in many racing series including the "Frost Bite" series, Swiftsure and many others such as Straight of Georgia Race and Thunderbird Worlds in Seattle in 1966 with his friend John Malleson. His achievements include winning the Juan De Fuca Race (which is part of the Swiftsure Race weekend) as crew aboard a local yacht using his sails. His sails also won the T Bird World Championship when it was held in Victoria, John Malleson out sailing the fleet. Ron himself won many other solo prizes for yacht racing at RVYC. His first boat at RVYC was a Lightening dinghy named Tucanna.

With his vast practical experience at sea, his innate aptitude, and intellectual mastery of all things nautical, Ron was an excellent seaman.

Ron was married twice. His first wife and the mother of his children was May (nee Craycroft), who he met on a double blind date with student nurses from the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. They married on 17th July 1959 in Victoria B.C. and settled in the area of Fairfield. They began their first years of marriage working full-time and running a retirement home. After the birth of Rodney they moved to the family home on 1437 Clifford St. Here they met other couples with young families through the Fairfield United Church’s “Couples Club” and developed friendships notably with the Witt`s.

Ron was blessed with four children: one son and eldest child, Rodney; three daughters, Teresa, Tamara and Lavonne. It was a busy family life with both parents working full-time and the children involved numerous activities including amongst others music, swimming, gymnastics, hockey and ballet. Exposing the children to the arts and culture were important for both Ron and May. They wanted to ensure their children had opportunities and experiences that they didn’t have coming from families with limited income. Strong work ethics was also an important value that he passed on to his children.

Ron’s children wanted a dog and so the Cocker Spaniel, Bow and a Boxer, Coco joined the family. Bow was arrested for chasing ducks in Beacon Hill Park and Coco used to fall over with the heat from the forced air furnace!

The family of six spent most summer holidays sailing around Victoria and anchoring in the bays of the local islands. First on a CAL 25 and later a Pacific 30 (T’Gallant) that Ron fitted out himself, with the assistance of friends, from a bare hull. Ken often joined the family for these vacations with the whole gang wearing matching t-shirts. The family also traveled to Disney Land on a bus and in 1976 went to England to provide an opportunity for the children to meet their relatives in Plymouth.

A tragedy struck the family in 1982 with the sudden and unexpected loss of his daughter Tamara. This after the many operations she underwent to improve her scoliosis with surgeries at the Toronto Sick Kids with Ron at her side. The loss of Tamara was the hardest event that he endured throughout his life although he rarely mentioned it.

Ron met his second wife at night school where he was teaching a course in sailmaking. Margaret was one of his students. From the moment that she walked in late for the first session until she asked her first (one of many) question in her 'fresh off the boat' West Country English accent, Ron knew that he was going to have trouble with this one! And he certainly did! Part of the sail making course was a practical project whereby the students hand made a ditty bag. This project teaching them many skills, one of which was the use of a sailmaker's palm. The students had to buy the necessary fabric and tools. Ron offered Margaret one of his sailmaker's palms and so their relationship began. Ron was fond of saying that his wife was 'bought with a palm'! Ron married Margaret Elizabeth (nee Britton) on 16th July 1983 at Westbury Baptist Church, Bristol, England.

Margaret and Ron often went hiking. In 1983 they hiked the West Coast Trail together. Ron was also a very good dancer and taught Margaret ballroom dancing. They enjoyed the times that they danced together. Ron also enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Favorite vacations included any time on the boat with the family and especially enjoyed cruising on his own boat, T'Gallant with Margaret. Later in life he and Margaret had two wonderful vacations in The Cook Islands.

Compassionate and devoted to both his wives, Ron held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of great strength.

Although he and May both remarried they ensured family events were planned together as a unified effort. The openness of their partners and emphasis on the importance of staying connected as a family were special gifts they gave to their children. This also created a context within which special and individual relationships were developed between his children and Marg and Kevin. Setting the foundation for bonds that would last for a lifetime.

Even after the death of his first wife, May, when Kevin remarried Janice, this unified bond continued. This was an important value for Ron throughout his life. Both Kevin and Janice provided unwavering support to Marg and Ron throughout his illness.

Ron brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through even when it was an adverse situation.

A traditionalist, Ron was pleased to see his children marry and enjoyed the company of their partners and embraced them into the family fold. These relationships blessed Ron with four grandchildren; Madison, Carson, Lauren, and Sophia. Although his daughters live in Montreal and London, Ron and Marg traveled there frequently to visit and to celebrate holidays and many Christmas' together. They also took care to spend special time and developed unique bonds with each of the grandchildren.

Ron liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. His favorite pursuit was sailing and nautical history. Ron was content to enjoy his hobbies alone and enjoyed his private time but was also willing to share his interests and knowledge with others.

Ron was an excellent cook and passed on his recipes to his children and sons-in-laws. He was an expert at technical drawing and had an incredibly creative nature much to the delight of family member's recipients of these creations. These talents he passed on to his children and also his grandchildren.

Ron sought out practical solutions, not individual recognition. He was always grounded and objective, feeling a strong sense of responsibility for taking care of what needed to be done. Ron was a long-time volunteer for the Maritime Museum of B.C. He was acknowledged by the Maritime Museum for his many contributions which included researching and re-fitting the Tillicum, including making a replica of her set of sails.

He would watch his favorite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity. Top on his list was soccer, ice hockey and later on when yachting came to be broadcast he would watch the America's Cup and the Round the World races.

Ron’s retirement finally arrived in 1993. His new life involved relocating from Victoria to Sooke, BC. In retirement he found pleasure in attending symphony concerts and the theatre with Margaret, walking and hiking. He also enjoyed vacations to Hawaii and to the UK and Montreal to visit family. He was writing a book on sail making from 1850 to 1950, which unfortunately due to his condition he was unable to complete.

Even in retirement, Ron continued to stay in touch with his old friends; Marg and Dick Burton, John and Gloria Malleson, Ray and Betty Hellwig, Brian and Doreen Crawley and Pete and Sharon Darroch.

Ronald John Mack passed away on June 6, 2016 at his home in Sooke. Ron had Alzheimer's. He is survived by his loving wife, Margaret, his son, Rodney Mack, and daughters Teresa Mack and her husband Jean Rocco, and daughter Lavonne O'Leary and her husband Julian. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, Madison Mack, Carson Mack, Lauren O'Leary and Sophia Rocco. Services were held at the chapel at First Memorial Funeral Home, Victoria, B.C., followed by a wake at Royal Victoria Yacht Club. Ron was cremated and his ashes were spread at sea off Caroline Reef, Oak Bay, Victoria, B.C.

Commitment and love are key words that can be used to describe the life of Ronald John Mack. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He was committed to being a hard worker. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.

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Ronald John Mack passed away peacefully at his home the Windward Mark on Monday, June 6, 2016 in Sooke, B.C. Ron was born in Plymouth, England to William and Ruth Mack.

Ron is survived by his loving wife and soul mate of 33 years Margaret Mack, his son Rodney Mack and daughters Teresa Mack and husband Jean Rocco, Lavonne O’Leary and husband Julian O’Leary and his grandchildren Madison Mack, Carson Mack, Lauren O’Leary and Sophia Rocco. Ron was a wonderful father who was devoted to his children’s happiness and well-being.

He is also survived by his dearest friend of 70 years Kenneth Read, and extended family Kevin and Janice Keliher as well as the Mack and Britton families in the UK.

Ron was unfortunately preceded by his beloved daughter Tamara, May the mother of his children and his brother Bill.

Ron trained as a sail maker and immigrated to Canada in 1955. He practiced his trade at Jeune Brothers, then as the owner of Ron Mack Sail Makers, and ended his career at the Head of the Sail Loft at Esquimalt Dockyards.

Ron was a lifetime member of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and took part in many races notably the Frostbite series and Swiftshore. He was an avid sailor who built and fitted out his own boat the T’Gallant. He was also a long time volunteer at the Maritime Museum. Ron was an expert at technical drawing, and had an incredibly creative nature much to the delight of family member’s recipients of these creations.

A memorial will be held on Friday, August 26th, 2pm at First Memorial followed by a reception at 4pm at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. For more details or to leave a message contact: www.dignitymemorial.ca . In lieu of flowers please send donations in honour of Ron to the Alzheimer’s’ Society of B.C.

Arrangements under the direction of First Memorial Funeral Services, Victoria, BC.