John Schofield

Today we stand before you as three very lucky girls because we are the only three people in the whole world who were able to call John Schofield, Dad/Daddy. And since Father’s Day is just around the corner we thought we would read you a love letter we wrote to our Dad on the weekend, sharing with you some of our adventures together, what he taught us during those adventures and how we feel about him.

Dad,

First of all, we have to say that we have learned from you and Mom the true meaning of love. Yours was a partnership in life, a united team, a true love story. We know your devotion to each other was real and deeply felt. You made each of us promise to take care of Mom once you were gone and we vow to keep that promise.

It must be said that you never thought you would ever be a Dad as you had a childhood illness which the doctor had told you and Grandma would mean your chances of fatherhood would be slim to none. So when mom told you she was pregnant with me, Lynn, you were over the moon. I was your miracle child, your #1 girl.

Well, you were on a roll when it came to this baby making miracle thing because 2 months after Lynn was born, mom was pregnant with me, Mary May! I was born 11 months 2 days and 8 hours after Lynn. I was your #2 girl, but only in birth order, never in your affections. The impressions that Lynn and I have of our life in Gypsumville are those of family unity, laughter and love. You and Mom liked to tell us the story of how I went to Lynn’s rescue when a boy up the street was bullying her and I rushed up to him, punched him and then he punched me and both Lynn and I came running home holding hands crying!

Our adventure continued back in Comox where memories include a rescue operation of a bird from a shed, sitting on the couch with you watching movies on our new fangled colour tv, going to work with you and feeling your pride in us as you showed us around your office .

And then the big event… I, Tracy, entered the world, your #3 girl, your little tiger. You brought Lynn and Mary May out on the front lawn so that they could wave to Mom and I in our hospital window. You taught them by example how to be gentle with me and how to feed me. Our family of 5 was now complete.

Our first world travel adventure happened when I was 2 and Lynn and Mary May were 7 and 6. Over to England we went to visit with your side of the family. We were paraded around with pride to all our relatives and family friends. You wanted us to enjoy some of the fun things you had done as a child including donkey rides at the beach, riding on the double decker buses and Scarborough. You taught us new “English “ phrases like those were lorries instead of trucks. Apparently I would get my T’s and F’s mixed up so lorries were a better choice when yelling at them on the bus!!

From Comox we went clear across Canada to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Memories from here included two very significant events… the most life changing for us was when Grandpa Schofield died soon after our second trip to England. You can attribute how we all handle a crisis from this event. We learned how important it was to care for family and we were given the incredible gift of getting to know our Grandmother when you opened our home to her to come live with us.

We lived through a major hurricane in Shelburne. We were at school when it hit and we were scared. Our teacher drove us home and then suddenly we were safe because you turned the whole thing into an adventure. We drove to the base and slept in the barracks… it seemed like fun! It felt safe. That is how we would describe our childhoods … a series of safe adventures.

Petawawa was another place of many adventures … mostly for you as this is when you went to Norway for a month and then Cyprus for 6 months. Our memories of this time include the green letters from you from Cyprus, when you would write “Big Mac attack!” in just about every letter… when you asked for a sweater because it was getting cold at night a mere 80* F, while we were in one of Ontario’s worst winters with snow up to our elbows!

And then the real adventures began, for it was off to Germany for us next! We were so excited! Even Grandma was excited as Grandpa had said he wanted to take her to Europe and never did. You were so pleased to be able to take her to the places that Grandpa had wanted to show her. When our adventure was cut short by your promotion, you and mom ensured we made the most of our remaining time in Europe by filling every weekend with trips including the whirlwind bus tour of 5 countries in 1 day. Our favorite way to explore the surrounding areas was through Volksmarches and we have the medals to show how many of those we went on together.

After our exciting time in Germany, Chatham seemed a wee bit dull. For me, Tracy, it was my least favorite place as I got diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I spent time in Halifax’s children’s hospital and you were so worried about me and my future. It turned out ok! They told me to eat as many Big Mac’s as I could and I LOVED that prescription! BIG MAC ATTACK!! This second tour to the Maritimes only lasted two years and then one day you came home with the news that we would be returning to Europe again. Moving day was a block party for our neighbours as the trucks and cranes that came to put our stuff into shipping containers and storage trucks was quite the sight to see.

Belgium was really an exciting adventure for all of us and a place of loss again, when Grandma Schofield passed away. This was the place where we had our last Schofield family holiday together. We toured in a big blue van with Grandma and Grandpa Blenkarn to the south of France, Monte Carlo and Switzerland. Then Lynn went off to college in Victoria and Mary May went to Lahr for grade 13 and my adventures alone with you and Mom began. Swimming became a big part of our lives as I joined the swim club. You joined me by being the team statistician. Our sports bond began then.

You always put us first so when it came to making the choice to move to Italy with NATO or to retire in Chilliwack, you chose Chilliwack so that Tracy could finish school in Canada and you could be near Mary May and Lynn in BC. And so your civilian adventures began. After a year of boredom, you became a crossing guard to fill your time. This was not enough. So you took the H&R block tax course and became an employee of theirs for the next 10 years.

In this time, I got married and had Alex. Mary May and Tracy got married and then Chelsea was born.

In 1993 you suffered a terrible health set back in the form of the blood disease PAN. A crisis… You fought your way back from a 10% chance to survive to be with us. While you were never quite the same after, we are happy to say that it gave Cassie, Theresa, Michael, Brianna and Jonathon time to be born and allowed all your grandchildren the immense privilege of growing up, knowing, and loving you.

You and Mom started to cruise to places as you were not finished exploring the world. You loved cruising because it gave both of you a vacation from driving and cooking! You loved taking cruises with others and kept hoping that one day we would all go on a cruise together.

So on the eve of your 80th birthday, we, your devoted daughters, schemed to make that dream a reality. It was a one night cruise but it was the best big family vacation we ever had. We combined your love of cruising with your love of trains. Every one of us will remember that trip. It was nothing but joy and laughter and love.

Later that year the devastating news of your cancer came. You faced that with determination, again, to be with us as long as you could. You chose radiation over doing nothing to at least be able to say you fought to be with us. It didn’t work, Daddy, but we know you tried.

No words can express the true depth of our devotion to you. “ We love you, Daddy we will miss you, always and forever!”

* * * * * * * * * *

It is with saddened hearts we announce that John Schofield passed peacefully into the arms of his Lord and Saviour on May 31, 2014.

He is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Carol; his devoted daughters, Lynn (Chris) van der Vlist, Mary May (Wiebe) de Jong, and Tracy (Devin) Nienow; and his 7 cherished grandchildren, Alex and Chelsea van der Vlist, Cassie, Michael and Brianna de Jong, Theresa Massicotte, and Jonathon Nienow.

Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England in 1933, John grew up an only child to loving parents during the Second World War, spending his time singing in the church choir and playing soccer for the school and the village teams. At the age of 17, he joined the RAF and was sent to Canada to the British Embassy in Ottawa. Soon after returning to England, he chose to immigrate back to Canada, a country he had come to love. John joined the RCAF and it was during a posting to Comox, BC that he met the love of his life, Carol. They married, and soon after, their daughters entered the world and the 5 of them enjoyed the military life of travel and adventure. He was proud to have served in the Air Force for 37 years and would do it all over again. After retirement, John and Carol enjoyed cruising around the world and spending time with their growing family. John always said he was a lover not a fighter and that he was proud to love and serve God.

A Celebration of John’s Life will be held on Monday, June 9, 2014 at 11:00 am at Saint Matthews Anglican Church, 2087 McMillian Road (Grace Church), Abbotsford, BC.

Donations in memory of John may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

Arrangements under the direction of Henderson's Fraser Valley Funeral Home, Abbotsford, BC.