Remembering John

Here is the more comprehensive version of John's life - though decidedly with bits and pieces missing. Please enjoy.

Download johns_obit.doc

Comments

[Dale Leitch]

I was very sorry to hear of John's passing. As a former fellow provincial public servant, I had a lot of respect for John. He was a pleasure to work with on the Internet connectivity project and his "let's get it done" attitude was immensely helpful to the resource communities we were working with - places like Gold River, Tahsis, Port Alice and others. He had a great deal of empathy with these places which had suffered mill closures and were in dire need of economic revitalization, including improved access to the Internet. John always had time to help and to de-mystify the intricacies of the wired world. His attitude and work ethic are worthy of emulation by today's and tomorrow's public servants.

[Matthew]

John, you are truly a master Chef.

Always in my heart,

Matthew

[Joel Carman]

I am saddened to hear of John's passing. I have known John for twenty eight years. We met over business- John built my stores until he moved out west. He was a wonderful craftsman- he put his heart and soul into his projects.We became friends and I quickly learned that John was not only a carpenter extrordinaire but also a writer and a politician and so much more. I so enjoyed our long arguments about the politics of the day. He was passionate and funny and well-read.I will never forget his wonderful smile and infectious laugh.
I celebrate Mr. Webb and I know that I am better for knowing him.
My family and I send our best wishes to John's family. He was so proud of you.
Our thoughts are with you,
Jinni, Joel Amy & Daniel Carman

[Brian Norris]

big strong talking smile
wit and laughter, twinkled eye -
winters gone, mem'ries flooding.

constant mighty presence:
inclusive warm generous friend
rippling sunshine waves

[Sandra Power]

Moralea and Family,
I want to thank you for sharing John's life with us. It has been especially sad for me to realize that I missed the opportunity to know such special person but through this medium which he loved I feel that I have met a friend. I'm sure we would have shared some real belly laughs together. I truly wish I could be there with you and your family tomorrow but please know that I will be thinking of you all. Dad and I have arranged to have a tree planted at Two Rivers Park on the Mira River in celebration of John's life. I just wanted you to know that a tiny piece of Cape Breton real estate, in a place were we all shared some wonderful childhood memories, belongs to John.
With much love,
The Cape Breton Milne's

[Chris Aikenhead]

I had the honour and pleasure of working with John last year on a video project about First Nations embracing information and communications technology. He dreamed up the program to showcase how aboriginal communities throughout B.C. can benefit from the information revolution. By forming a partnership between Network BC and Knowledge Network, John found an innovative way to get his video produced and broadcast to viewers around the province. He was passionate about his message, yet his style was always low-key, subtle, and disarmingly modest.

From our first production meeting at Knowledge Network, I was impressed by John’s ability to function simultaneously as an astute and effective bureaucrat and as a warm-hearted, quick-witted, and easy-going human being. He cut through formality and procedural red-tape effortlessly, bringing a deft personal touch to business affairs that made long meetings around a boardroom table thoroughly enjoyable. His amiable spirit shone throughout all my dealings with him during the video’s production. If our governments were run by more people like John, how much the better world would be...

I last saw John at the premiere of Cedar and Silicon at Knowledge Network in September. He seemed happy and healthy that day, and I was glad he was able to enjoy the result of his efforts as a television producer. Among his lasting legacies is his pioneering work in helping First Nations overcome the digital divide. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help John share his vision. He’ll be missed by all who knew him.

[Leo Chrzanowski]

All of you will undoubtedly have any number of anecdotes or fond memories about John but here is one that I wanted to share. I saw John the Tuesday before he passed away in a meeting of all things! John wanted to impart some ideas along to us and some community representatives on a project near and dear to his heart. His last words before he left the meeting were "if you want to talk more about this, call me on my land line. My cell phone doesn't work at home." John could have stayed at home but the interests of others was clearly more important to him than his own personal comfort. Outside of the meeting he mentioned to me that he was feeling rather poorly but he certainly never let on to any of the others. Vintage John, others' interests before his own comfort in his last few days. We will all miss John but I some how feel that he's not too far away - watching to make certain that we continue to "do the right thing".

Thanks John for your spirited and selfless guidance.

[Laurie Edmiston]

I met John through my ex-partner Terry Sullivan, who met him through their shared political work for the NDP. At the time John had his own carpentry business and was co-parenting Kristen and Cameron who were entering their adolescence. So John had his hands full, but still found time for volunteer work and friends.

John knew how to be a really good friend. Although not a religious man, he didn’t hesitate when we asked him to be godfather to our first child, Megan. He played with and read to our kids and took them on outings. Once he took our son Jesse to the zoo and in a moment of distraction, our active 3 year old was suddenly in the crocodile area. Although Jesse was unharmed and unperturbed, the zookeeper shouted abuse at John, and it became a family joke.

When we moved houses John took the day off to help and true to John-fashion, made himself useful without prompting. He determined how to organize the kitchen cupboards and 21.5 years later, his system still stands.

We held a surprise party for his 40th birthday, and though he has always maintained he didn’t know about it, he greeting his friends’ cries of “surprise!” with his so-John-like calm and unfazed demeanor.

We were sad to see John move to the west coast, but so happy for him. He was so smitten with Moralea and although moving across the country to live with a woman and her 3 children seemed dramatic (some might say foolish), it was clear that his love for Moralea was deep and abiding and he had no hesitation.

As everyone knows, when John was diagnosed with cancer he faced it openly and honestly. Some of our best conversations were in his last 9 months, where it was clear that his unerring integrity, courage, fearlessness and committed relationships allowed him to face the end of his life with no regrets. When I visited him last December he told me that although he didn’t believe in an afterlife, he really wanted to be able to see how Gala and the rest of his family and friends fared. Even while his declining health challenged him, in his last few months he remained intellectually engaged in global and local issues, proud of his work for the province of BC, and caring deeply for those he loved. He was a good man and I feel fortunate to have been one of his friends.

[Gala]

Come on down to the mermaid cafe
and I will buy you a bottle of wine
And we'll laugh and toast to nothing
and smash our empty glasses down

Lets have a round for these freaks
and these soldiers
A round for these friends of mine
Lets have another round for the bright red devil
who keeps me in this tourist town

Come on Carey, get out your cane
And I'll put on my finest silver
Oh, you're a mean old daddy but i like you
i like you
i like you
i like you
fine

- joni mitchell

[Deborah Flitton]

Moralea and family,
I wish I could be with you and John's friends at the Memorial because I know there will be many stories to share and different circles of people who knew him. For me I remember his conribution to the Georgia Strait, meeting him as Information Officer in his office at the legislature when we filmed the building in Virtual Reality, making breakfast at Annie's and his talent with his carpentry. A certain joie de vivre always shone. His children should be proud of his commitment and accomplishments. I know I am from our generation.
Love to all, Deborah Flitton

[Everette Surgenor]

As many of you have indicated,John was a " one of a kind" individual.In my experience it was uncommon to find a person like John within the bureacracy of Government who believed in using his influence to create a positive and better future.One only had to speak to him about using technolgy or expanding infrastructure to improve learning opportunities within schools or to create capacity within rural and remote communities and you found that you had an instant ally and champion.At the same time he was pragmatic and disciplined.I will miss him.
Perhaps the comment that best describes John from my perspective can be found in a quotation by George Bernard Shaw
"Some men see the things the way they are and ask why.Others dream things that never were and ask why not"

[Cindy Corona]

I wish I had been in Metchosin to day to be one more person to suck up the buttercup with Moralea. When Moralea and Gala left after visiting me in Mexico, I laughed about the funny gift she chose to take back for John. She stuffed her suitcase with kilos of different Chorizos. Mexican sausages!

[Gary Patsey]

John was a champion and supporter during the start up of enTel.

His kind words, direction and advice are part of the foundation of Internet and connectivity throughout BC. His work in the background and at the forefront will be his legacy and it will live on.

We'll miss you John.

Peace.

[Andrew Cohill]

John was a giant among men. I had the great privilege of working with him on some small things over the past couple of years, and I was struck by his keen mind and absolute determination to do the right things--so rare in today's culture.

John was fearless and funny, with a great sense of humor and an utter lack of seriousness about himself, and open and eager to listen to others.

We have all suffered a great loss.

Andrew

[Ernie Dal Grande, Patrick Haggerty and Ian MacArthur]

A quote that best summarizes what John meant to us in Ottawa at the federal level trying to bring partnerships across jursidictions so that First Nations could get access to better services. Unchartered waters where only the brave go.

Man in the Arena- Theodore Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

[Arvo Koppel]

It has been four years, John. I missed your service, so I am lucky enough to be able to deny that you have left us. I do not know what place memorializes your passing, so I stop by here occasionally, silently, unnoticed.

I do not know how often people still stop by here, or take the time to read all the way to the bottom of this page.

I do know that, as the years pass, those who might read this far down the page will not need reminders of how much you meant to so many. They just stop by as I do, in the hope that they can, by remembering your example, aspire to love life, care for friends, respect opponents, and dedicate their daily work to the service of others in the way you did.

If I could, I would leave yet another small stone on your grave-site.
Never forgotten.

[Erin Irwin]

I needed my own reminder today John and I thank you, yet again for your words of motivating encouragement...

Arvo, I have read to the bottom of the page and visit from time to time as you do and for the very same reasons. I would imagine that there are many who still do :)