Jan 28, 1921 - Nov 29, 2017
John Allan "Jack" Ward passed away peacefully November 29th, 2017 at the age of 96 after a short illness.
He will be sadly missed by his three surviving children, Linda (Tymm), Roy, and Sherry, his twelve grandchildren, and his nine great grandchildren.
Jack was predeceased by his loving wife of 57 years, Helen (Doll), his cherished daughter, Beverley (Christensen), and his five siblings (Stanley, Frederick, Eric, and his twin sister, Jean).
Dad was born in Penticton on 28 January, 1921, but his family moved to Vancouver when he was still a toddler. In 1940 he answered his country's call to fight the tyranny of hatred consuming Europe and served first as a mechanic (his lifelong trade) in Canada and England, then as an infantry soldier with the Black Watch in France, Belgium, Holland (where he was wounded in February of 1945), and finally Germany from October 1944 through VE Day, May 1945.
After the war dad returned to work at Begg Motors in Vancouver, but in the summer of 1948 made the fateful decision to visit his hometown. As soon as he arrived he decided this was where he would spend the rest of his life. On that vacation he met a fellow vet, Glady Parker, who offered him a job in his newly minted garage, Parker Motors, where dad found a home and would work until his retirement in 1986. That was also the year dad would meet mom, a young waitress who had recently moved to Penticton from Saskatchewan, at the coffee shop he would frequent for lunch. They were inseparable from that moment until mom passed in 2010.
In 1953 their first child was born, their last came in 1971, a spread that would keep them in parenting mode for a good 40 years. Still they always enjoyed the company of good friends and liked to have fun.
In the 1960s they took up square dancing, but gave it up in the 70s for golf -- a game my father didn't pick up until he was in his 50s but would become his passion right up to the end.
Dad was a well- respected mechanic, a loving father and husband, and a good and generous friend and colleague to many over his long and extraordinarily active life. He will be long missed by all who knew him.
A viewing will be held at Providence Funeral Home in Penticton starting at 6 pm on Friday, December 8th with a funeral service on the 9th at 11am at St Saviour's Anglican Church with luncheon to follow.€
Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, in lieu of flowers.
Condolences can be sent to the family through www.providencefuneralhomes.com
Providence Funeral Home, Penticton