Alexander John McCombie

You can view the ceremony live or on replay at https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/23801.

John was born May 3, 1926 on the family farm in Runciman Saskatchewan, as the youngest of 3 children with two older sisters, Lois (Anketell) and Dorothy (Miller).

John being a pioneer in Saskatchewan and a child of the great Depression worked hard, from sunrise to sundown. Electricity did not arrive on the farm until the early 1950’s. He had a prairie mentality of nothing would be bought unless absolutely necessary; frugality and repurposing were part of his upbringing. However, it was not all work on the farm, there was many visits from friends and family on Sunday. John was lucky growing up to pursue many sports with his sisters and friends, including skiing, tobogganing, skating and swimming on the farm.

John farmed in Saskatchewan until 1956 when he, his sister Lois and his mother moved to Vancouver. By chance John bumped into an old girl friend from a neighbouring Runciman farm, Lydia (Gaertner) Armstrong after the passing of her husband Karren. John and Lydia were married in 1975. She predeceased him passing in 1993.

John was a shareholder in Richmond Plywood; a cooperative and worked there shortly after he moved to Vancouver in 1956 until his retirement in 1991.

Hunting, Trapping, and Fishing were favorite activities of John as a boy on the farm. John was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman his entire life, a passion shared by Lydia his wife. In his 70’s and 80’s he enjoyed fishing with his step children, Dr Jim Armstrong and Dr Christiane Armstrong, and his grandchildren Alexis, Keira, and Andrea Armstrong.

Nothing pleased John more than catching a trout early in the morning and pan frying it for breakfast on an open fire. He also excelled at teaching his grandchildren card games and how to play cribbage as “there would always be times when the fish did not bite”.

John also, always kept in close contact with his many nieces and nephews and their children who lived across BC and Saskatchewan.

John felt very fortunate to move into the Mulberry Independent Retirement residences, in 2006, where he had many friends. He was very thankful for the care from all the Mulberry staff and especially the wellness nurse Stacey Poitras who was indispensable for John and his step children in the last year.

John was grateful for the care of the staff, nurses and Dr Chapman at the Saint Michaels hospice as well as the excellent care from Dr Tommy Tran, and Dr Pat Zaidel..

John passed peacefully January 23, 2021 at 94 and a half.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either the Burnaby Hospital Foundation (3935 Kincaid Street Burnaby)

https://www.bhfoundation.ca/donate/

or the BC Cancer Foundation (#150-686 West Broadway, Vancouver)

https://bccancerfoundation.com/ways-donate/gift-memory