For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar 

HARRISON, John E. - John Harrison passed peacefully in his sleep in the early morning of April 14th, 2019 at Royal Jubilee Hospital at the age of 93 and spent his last hours surrounded and cherished by close family.

John was born in Moosomin, Saskatchewan on the tenth of January in 1926. He was married to his soul mate of 70 years, Ruth who unfortunately passed in 2013 from bone cancer. They had an amazing life together full of love and happiness with the only real bump in the road being the loss of their daughter, Shelley to cancer at the age of 42. Ruth and John had a special marriage and the family likes to tell the story they never once saw them have an argument! John and Ruth resided in Brandon, Manitoba for 30 years where they raised their three children, Shelley, Pryce and Peter and enjoyed calling both Victoria Avenue and the cottage at Clear Lake home. John and Ruth later moved to Victoria, BC in 1984 for their retirement years.

John at the age of 18, served in the Navy during World War 2 and was stationed off the east coast on a Corvette ship. After the war, John graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Degree in Electrical Engineering and with his partner Jim Hrymak went on to start Metals Industries, a manufacturing business based in Brandon, that constructed and sold steel products across Canada and at its peak employed more than 300 staff.

John and Ruth both loved to be social and had the most pleasant and positive personalities, which by default attracted countless friends and social gatherings. John had been actively involved in several associations such as serving on the hospital board at Brandon General Hospital as well as being an active member of the Rotary Club's in both Brandon and Victoria and later on K60. John had many passions which included tennis, the stock market, music, sailing, walks along the beach and being a handyman. At 92 he still encapsulated the engineering mindset as he designed and constructed a track system along the perimeter of his house to be able to maneuver the lawn mower up and down a steep hill with ease between the front and back lawns... and yes, it was so he himself in his 90's could continue to mow his own lawn!

Despite any circumstance, John was the most considerate, kind, selfless spirit known to man and would go out of his way to help others which was evident right to the end and for which these attributes will stand as his forever legacy.

John is survived by his sons, Pryce and Peter and his son-in-law Bill, daughter-in-laws Sidonia and Kerri, and ten grandchildren: Liam, Graeme and his wife Michelle, Matthew, Noel and his wife Heather, Alex and his wife Katie, Lindsay, Mitchell, Katey, Ben and Madey. Predeceased by his wife Ruth in 2013, daughter Shelley in 1991, father Joseph in 1933, mother Sarah in 1968, and siblings, Bob in 1978, Joe in 1968, Ron in 1967, Ivy in 1917 and Doris in 2016. A church service will be held at Cadboro Bay United Church (2625 Arbutus Road) at 2pm on Saturday, August 3rd with a private celebration of life to be held afterwards with family and friends. (Victoria Times Colonist 06 Jul 2019)