At age 5, John moved to Vancouver Island with his parents, Jack and Ethel from Hattonford, Alberta. The family settled in Langford where John became a member of DeMolay and graduated from Belmont High School. Soon after he married his first wife Judy with whom he had two children. John became a Langford Volunteer Fireman and Ambulance Attendant with then Fire Chief Al Lesquesne.
In recent years John loved to tell his walking group about Langford and the communities he remembered when growing up. The special places where he liked to fish, Teen Town at Metchosin Hall and his long time involvement with the auto races at Western Speedway. He spent many hours with his younger brother Bill, working on their “Old Timers” in their Dad’s little shop. If they weren’t working on their own cars it would be a car belonging to someone else.
John worked for W.H. Malkin driving semi and later Kelly Douglas Ltd, distributing groceries to various stores on the island. During this time John remarried and moved to a hobby farm in Metchosin where he entered a new lifestyle of tractors, horses, vegetable gardening and fruit trees. When Kelly Douglas Ltd. closed its business, John found employment at a local Langford business, Normand St. Cyr Excavating, where he retired at 65. John became a regular with the morning coffee group at Tim Horton’s on Jacklin. This was important to him as it kept him up to date on the latest “goings on” and solving the world’s problems. John also looked forward to Wednesday nights at the Langford Legion with his poker buddies. He enjoyed the humor at the table and no one went home mad after losing poker chips. John belonged to a regular walking group. He enjoyed being outside walking, sharing stories and opinions, then relaxing with coffee afterwards to discuss the next plan of activities. John was not afraid to try a new adventure if he was capable.
John had kindness in his eyes and a smile on his face, always ready to lend a hand when needed. He was so appreciative of friends and so proud of his family. We laughed together and at each other.
My dear John, you are so loved. I will carry you in my heart always. Rest in peace, honey.
Left to cherish John in memory, his wife Launi, daughter Jody (Rick), son Jamie, grandson, D.J. MacGillivray (Krystal), granddaughters, Andee and Aimee Bartley, and great grandson, Damian MacGillivray.
John did not want a service, it wasn’t his way.
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