JOHN BROCK

John Sebastian Brock died January 9, 2026, at the age of 84. He leaves behind his wife, Ruth; and daughters, Jackie (Peter DeVries), Rachel (Pete Clearwater) and Katie (Craig Mitchell); grandchildren, Sam and Isobel Brock-Mahood, Hayden and Elijah Roth, Declan and Asher Clearwater; step-grandchildren, Cameron and Evan Mitchell, Sully, Shep, and Kip DeVries; his brother, Tim Brock; and his sister, Phoebe Dunbar. Predeceased by his sister, Mary Gazetas. John was the eldest child of Babs and Dave Brock and lived most of his life in West Vancouver. He and his wife, Ruth, spent many happy years together – almost 60. They started their married life in a log house in Ross River, Yukon, where John began his long and successful career in the junior mining world where he founded and ran several exploration companies with his partners, Al Kulan, Wayne Roberts and Irene Wilson. He spent much time in Canada's northern wilderness looking for gold and other precious metals. His work life was filled with prospectors, drillers, pilots, geologists, stockbrokers, investors and big mining company executives. For a while he enjoyed being on the board of the old Vancouver Stock Exchange. As well, he was often interviewed as the voice of the junior mining companies, making speeches and writing articles for magazines and newspapers. John liked being downtown in the Howe Street world with old UBC friends and new business colleagues. For his family, John created a happy and entertaining life. He often took us with him wherever he went for his work to show us what he did. He carted us around in trucks, helicopters and small airplanes into the deepest bush, to the tops of mountains, to deserts and to cities, to the North and to distant countries like Chili, Mongolia and China. Mostly, John liked to make people laugh and have fun. If there was a microphone, he wanted to be behind it, in a costume of his own making and backed up by people who also wanted to share their wit and charm. Any chance he got, he put together events and parties like the Eagle Island caroling barge party. He organized the Proctor Bay Swim Club and built them a raft because he liked to swim in the ocean and to mess about in small boats, and he knew others did too. In the Yukon, for the geological workers, he organized the upside-down greased pole climbing races. He always said he didn't like to leave a conversation until he got a laugh out of the guy. Even in his last day here, despite his advanced dementia and his inability to speak, he still responded to us with a well-timed raised eyebrow, and he got a laugh out of everyone. A celebration of John's life will be held Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Francis-in-the-Wood Anglican Church, 4773 Piccadilly South, West Vancouver.