April 8, 1931 - January 2, 2021
Born in Plymouth, Devon. England, John emigrated with his parents and brother Denis to Trinity Valley in 1947. He farmed in the summer and logged in the winter. Then he discovered flying! He got his Commercial Pilot's License in 1957 and set up his own flying school and charter business in Prince George in 1960 called Columbia Airlines.
In 1964 he met his future wife Diana over hot chocolate at Northern Mountain Airlines. She talked him into letting her work for him on Saturdays to get half an hour flying time on Sunday. They married in 1969.
John continued flying until 1976 with 15,000 hours flying time total. He then started a new career as a primary school teacher. He retired to Naramata in 1990 and built his dream house and had a huge garden each year. They loved travelling and made several trips to the U.K., Nevada, Oregon, and California, Fiji, and fell in love with Ireland.
In 2011 they moved to a smaller house in Penticton. In 2018 John became a resident of Village by the Station until he passed away at Penticton Regional Hospital with his wife by his side.
John is survived by his loving family-- wife Diana, daughter Juanita, son John William (Jolene) and grandchildren Rosalie and Nicholas, brother Denis and nieces Genie and Marianne, cousin Pamela Littlejohn and step-sister Jeanne.
Thanks to the caring staff at Village by the Station and to the nurses on the 5th floor at PRH for their wonderful care of John in his last few days.
Due to restrictions, the funeral will be held at a later date.