Obituary
John Cheramy, May 13, 1933 to February 22, 2022
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Cheramy.
John was born in New Westminster and grew up in Maillardville, BC. He developed an entrepreneurial spirit early in life when he would bring newspapers to the ships at dock along the Fraser River, while doing his paper route. He would chat to sailors who would bring him coins from distant lands. Thus began his joy of coin collecting. He excelled in Math and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, then became a Certified General Accountant. During his academic years, he and a couple close friends enjoyed outings to local dances. It was around this time that he met and married Glenda. He and his close friend, Doug, purchased adjacent properties in Coquitlam. Two children, Rob and Vicki, followed shortly after.
His love of numismatics never waned and soon he left the accounting field to partner with 2 others to open a coin and stamp store in Vancouver. Several years later, the commute from Coquitlam to Vancouver each day took its toll. The partnership disbanded. John had developed a list of customers across Canada and soon began working from home, Glenda typing price lists and both licking stamps and envelopes and filling orders.
Buying trips took them across Canada, into the States and over to Europe where they formed many close friendships. During a buying trip to Victoria, John and Glenda felt the magnetism of the landscape and soon decided to sell their home, invest in inventory, and move to the picturesque community of Fairfield.
His interest in local BC history was piqued when he discovered old merchants’ tokens. He began eliminating his coins and stocking up on tokens. His hunt for collections took him across Canada several times. He continued with mail order and developed a new set of customers. After enjoying a couple of decades working with tokens and becoming a sought-out expert on rarities, he noticed new collections and pieces were becoming elusive. So he began dispersing his inventory of tokens and discovered a new love of postcards.
The real-photo renderings of small towns throughout Canada during the early 1900s really captured his interest. He soon developed an extensive postcard collection and was again sought out by historians and often provided postcard images for use in local historical non-fiction. His health began to fail in his early eighties. Much of his rare postcard depictions of early Western Canada now reside in museums where all can enjoy them.
A few years after his wife Glenda passed away, he moved in with his daughter and son-in-law on Gabriola Island, where he lived for a couple of years before he passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones.
He had a keen and curious mind and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others. He was known as a man of integrity and generosity and will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John CHERAMY, please visit our floral store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John CHERAMY May 13 1933 February 22 2022 (age 88)..
Death notice for the town of: Ladysmith, Province: Colombie britanique