John Stewart W. Purkis

December 13, 1930 - December 10, 2025

On December 10, 2025, just three days short of his 95th birthday, John (Jack) Stewart Walter Purkis slipped the bonds of his earthly body to rejoin his wife of 59 years, Emily Jacqueline (nee McMurchie), who predeceased him in 2013, and his daughter, Karen Elizabeth Wyatt, who predeceased him in 2022.
Dad lived a life devoted to family, community, and public service. As a young man, he participated in the 8th Scout Troop in Calgary, where he met lifelong friends and gained a love of the Rocky Mountains. After marrying Jackie in 1954 and raising three children, Karen, Mary Ellen, and Stewart, he introduced us to those mountains and to so many weekends and summer holidays in a tent, later a trailer, and finally in the fifth-wheel trailer that was his pride and joy! When he was not in the mountains, he could be found at the baseball diamond or the hockey rink, coaching his own children as well as others as we all learned to love team sports and the outdoors.
He worked for the City of Calgary throughout his life, starting by hand-delivering bills and ending in 1985, after ten of the most challenging and satisfying years of his career, as Secretary to the Board of Commissioners. As he looked ahead to retirement, he took on one of the most exciting projects of his life - building a well-appointed cabin at Spur Valley, just north of Radium Hot Springs. Spur Valley was a much-loved location for the whole family as we headed out on long hikes or on cross-country skis. Even here, Dad found ways to share his talents with the community, working with others to maintain a safe and functional water pump for the community through the long, dry summer months.
Mom and Dad took many breaks from their retirement years at Spur Valley to travel in the fifth-wheel. As often as they could, they would invite family along on trips to Disneyland and Yellowstone. Later, as "Snowbirds," they spent many happy times golfing and enjoying the warm winter months in southern California and Arizona.
In 2000, Mom and Dad moved to Victoria, where Dad picked up his volunteering tradition that started in Calgary, by joining the Meals on Wheels program based in Victoria. He was a constant and trusted caregiver to Jackie through her time with dementia. Dad moved to Amica on the Gorge in 2022, where he demonstrated endless grace in accepting help - a challenging thing for a man so accustomed to helping others all his life. The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the entire Amica team who supported Dad so well in his final years. Special thanks to Dr. Matt Vaughn, who anticipated Dad's every need.
Jack leaves behind his sister, Doreen, and nephew Jay Roston (Santa Barbara, California); his daughter, Mary Ellen; son, Stewart (Nancy); five grandchildren: Matthew (Amber) Wyatt, Kirby (Gino) Gallace, Zachary, Nick and Tim; and four wonderful great-grandsons: Gavin, Luca, Jackson and Kendal. Nieces and nephews from the McMurchie clan recall "Uncle Jack" with great fondness, as do the Purkis relations based in Ontario. He is indeed the last of that generation. The family will gather in the months ahead to share memories of "the Big Fella." Please consider a donation to the Eldercare Foundation (eldercarefoundation.org) or Calgary Meals on Wheels (mealsonwheels.com) to honour Dad's memory.