John Andrew Eldridge
1966-2020
It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of
John Andrew Eldridge at his home in Lake Utopia, New Brunswick on
September 19th, 2020. John was born in Newmarket Ontario on March
29th, 1966 and was the son of Ann and the late Myles Eldridge.
John is survived by his loving wife Lisa (Nee Tighe) and his children
Abby and Elias. He is also survived by his sister Susan, brother Mark,
nieces, nephews and other family.
John grew up in the small community of Beaver Harbour on the shores of
the Bay of Fundy and it is there that his intense love of the sea was
cultivated. In those formative years, he, along with his close-knit
family and friends, explored and grew to respect the ocean and the
abundant marine life in and around it. It was these early years that
would chart the course for his future life.
As a young man, John attended the Canadian Coast Guard College and
graduated Suma Cum Laude in 1987. Following his seagoing career, he
was assigned to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax where
he continued to contribute to the safety of Canada’s
waters.
In 1995, John and his wife Lisa launched Quoddy Link Marine, an
eco-tourism business operating out of St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
Over the years the company has grown and flourished and, as was their
dream, introduced thousands of people to the wonders of the ocean and
its inhabitants.
A born innovator, John was always looking for ways to improve the
“state-of-the-art”. He worked with boat designers to
develop unique hull forms and configurations that would improve the
experiences of his whale watching clients, while increasing safety and
efficiency.
Perhaps the most notable of John’s many professional
achievements was playing the lead role in the development of hybrid
propulsion for ships. His initial concept, which was intended to
reduce air and noise emissions from his tour boats, became the
foundation for what would become the world’s first hybrid marine
propulsion system.
John was an enthusiastic participant in any activities that grabbed
his attention and everyone that worked with him developed an intense
respect for his intelligence, work ethic, compassion and wit. In his
local area, he earned a reputation for tirelessly advocating on behalf
of his industry and working toward the betterment of the community. He
remained respectful and professional in his interactions with others
and was humble in spite of his many accomplishments.
For all of his professional successes, John’s life revolved
around his family and friends. He was incredibly proud of his
children and their many achievements and loved traveling with his
family and sharing with them his love of the world and the people in
it. Never one to leave his hands idle, either professionally or
personally, he always had a pet project on the go, and he delighted in
drawing the people he loved into experiencing the project with
him.
John was an avid sailor, diver, basketball player, Raptors fan,
carpenter, motorcyclist and outdoorsman – there were very few
days that saw him with nothing to do.
John had many loyal friends both at home and around the world that
will forever remember him as a quiet and gentle man who could be
relied on in both good times and bad.
His legacy will stand the test of time.
Fair winds and following seas John – we will miss you.
There will be a celebration in honour of John’s life commencing
at 2:00pm, Thursday, September 24, 2020 at the Market Wharf in St.
Andrews.
www.stgeorgefh.ca
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Andrew Eldridge 19662020..
Death notice for the town of: St-George, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick