It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Campbell at his home in Vernon, BC, on May 18, 2022. John was a loving husband, father, grandfather, sibling and friend and will be dearly missed by his wife Kate; sons, Jacob and Benjamin; his siblings and their partners: Judi; Will (and Susan); Shirley; Trish (and Dewayne); daughter-in-law, Jocelyn, and grandson, Greyson. John’s loss will also be keenly felt by his many friends in Kenora, Ontario and Vernon, BC.
John was born to Percy and Deanna Campbell, and spent most of his life in Kenora. He began his career at the Makowsky portable sawmill and also worked at the Terrace Bay Ontario Mill. He met Martha Johnstone, and together they raised sons, Jake and Ben.
John spent 35 years as a locomotive engineer for CP Rail, driving freight and passenger trains on the Winnipeg and Ignace routes. He also served as Treasurer of his local Teamsters union.
In his free time, John became a float plane pilot, flying to various lakes, supplying bait for local minnow businesses. Having an entrepreneurial side, John also ran his own part time plumbing and snow removal companies. After 35 years with the railway, John retired, and, driven by his love for skiing, he moved to Vernon, BC where he met his wife, Kate, and where he skied almost daily during ski season at Silverstar Resort.
John will be forever remembered in our hearts as a man of passion and energy, with a quick and often irreverent sense of humour, booming voice, and a great laugh. He had a love of sports and the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing, curling, gardening, coaching hockey, hosting golf tournaments and cheering for his favorite teams (i.e. Blue Jays, Senators, Raptors and Miami Dolphins).
John was also an excellent cook and enjoyed hosting dinners for friends followed by hours of cribbage and lively conversation. He was a good friend and neighbour, and neighbours arrived home from work finding that their driveways had been cleared of snow, or the pile of wood in their yard was now chopped. He was a loyal man who knew the value of strong relationships, and will be forever cherished in our hearts.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the War Amps at donate.waramps.ca/eforms.aspx?edonate
Messages of condolences can be sent to www.myalternatives.ca. A Celebration of Life will be held in Kenora at a date to be determined, and a Celebration of Life will be held for John’s close friends in Vernon BC at a subsequent date.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Campbell May 18th 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Armstrong, Province: Colombie britanique