John Arvid “Jack” Hollstedt
June 4, 1937 – May 3, 2022
John Arvid “Jack” Hollstedt passed away peacefully on May 3, 2022 at RIH where he received excellent care during a brief bout with vascular dementia.
The Hollstedt family emigrated from Northern Sweden to Canada in the 1920’s and settled in Ontario where Jack was born in the small gold mining town of Geraldton and in 1949 the family moved to Vancouver. He was a very proud Swede and loved to sing the National Anthem of Sweden in Swedish. Along with the Swedish anthem he knew a few cuss words and other Swedish songs.
It was at Gladstone high school in Vancouver in choir and music classes that he met, and in 1958 married, his life long friend and partner Lois. Jack and Lois began to build their lives in Kamloops in 1964 when he came to work at the Kamloops Daily Sentinel newspaper in the advertising department. He later went to work with Texaco Canada and Imperial Oil as the sales area representative and regional sales manager. Following retirement, he worked with the Federal Business Development Bank.
A true Kamloops booster, Jack was heavily involved in shaping the Kamloops community from 1964 though 2021. He was a lifetime member of the Kamloops Kinsmen and K-40 clubs, Kamloops Legion and ANAVets, and a member and past president of the Kamloops Gyro club. He served on the first executive and organizing committee of the Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament (KIBIHT) and later as president. Through that work he was thrilled to meet the King of Sweden when he travelled to Europe to recruit bantam hockey teams to play in the Kamloops tournament.
Jack also served on the Executive and organizing committee of the first BC Winter Games held in Kamloops in 1978 and attended the 40th Winter Games again in Kamloops in 2018.
Many would know Jack for his time ensuring events in Kamloops had the sponsorship element captured. From 1995 to 2008 he worked on no less than 10 Season of Champions Events of Curling Canada. Our community would not have the successes of the 1996 Brier, 1998 World Championships and numerous Canada Cups without Jack’s tremendous support and encouragement. He also lent his talents to both Kelowna and Prince George for other successful Events. Subsequent to this was his involvement with the 2010 World Masters, 2011 Western Canada Summer Games and the 2013 Kamloops Baseball Indoor Training facility fundraising objectives. Actually, he never stopped as he was a part of several Kamloops International Baseball Tournaments in his later years.
He was part of the original group that brought the Kamloops Blazers to town and starting in the 70’s was a member of the Kamloops Golf and Country Club, and the Kamloops Curling Club. He enjoyed playing hockey, mixed slow pitch, golf, curling, swimming, and many seasons skiing at Tod Mountain/Sun Peaks.
Jack was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and fishing. Fly fishing was a favorite pastime. Rossmore, Janis, Little Lac Le Jeune were among his favorite locations along with just hanging out at the cabin at Walloper Lake. Jack was proud of being the one to introduce the “Idaho Nymph” fly to the area and everyone he mentored into the sport understood the value of that fly.
His friends were many. Everyone remembers his ability to tell stories, joke and laugh, a gift he passed on to his two children. The life long friends he made in the Kinsmen organization enriched his whole life and Norm Daley and family were a valued support over many years.
Jack was predeceased by his parents, older brother and two sisters and his 16-year-old loyal four-legged companion Boo. Celebrating his legacy are his children John (Terry), and Nancy (Terry); four grandchildren John (Caitlin), Kirsten (Brock), Michael, and Jacqueline; and six great grandchildren, who knew that “Grampa Jack” was a fixture at Halloween, and always dressed for the occasion. And Lois, his life-long friend and partner, of whom he was so very proud; the many nephews and nieces in his extended family and his wonderful friends. He treasured them all.
Jack was grateful for a wonderful life, full of opportunity, friends, service and family. He requested that you remember the laughter, raise a glass of your favorite drink, and enjoy a chuckle. In lieu of a service or flowers please make a donation to KidSport Kamloops or the Kinsmen Foundation of BC.
“It’s not what you make, it’s what you leave.”
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Death notice for the town of: Kamloops, Province: Colombie britanique