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John Stimson Obituary
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7 Entries
Troy Stimson
March 10, 2025
I met John in 1967 when I flew a friend from Wisconsin into Montreal and looked up my Stimson Sir name in the telephone directory. He invited me for dinner where I briefly met his family. I remember his detective service with CP. We exchanged Christmas cards for several years but eventually lost touch.
My grandfather was named John L. Stimson. He told me once that anyone who spelled their name Stimson was related to us.
Troy E. Stimson
Florida Ret.
Douglas Stimson
September 5, 2008
When I am gone, don’t cry for me
for I have had the best to be.
The childhood pleasures of a dog,
a farm, a horse, a cat, a hog.
And woods galore with partridge there
and deer and skunk, pheasant and hare.
And lifelong friends we don’t often see
but feel their presence where‘er we be.
I’ve seen the war from way afar
with little danger to those where we are.
Ridden the waves on the ocean’s storm
While in a messdeck cosy and warm.
I’ve soared on high and hedge-hopped too;
watched flight deck landings straight and true.
Seen crashes, dunkings, feats of dare.
I sometimes can’t believe that I was there.
I’ve seen the best and worst of man
and kept the peace as best one can.
I’ve hunted deer and grouse and duck;
fished for salmon with some good luck.
I’ve visited Rome, Berlin and Israel too.
To B.A., Santiago, Lima and Madrid I flew.
In Mexico, I worked and even won;
In Amsterdam, Tokyo and Hong Kong, work was done.
Visited Manila, Cypress, Sydney and St. John’s
as one of life’s chessboard’s working pawns.
Athens, London, Dublin and through the Canadian North
and to the States we’ve sallied forth.
But best of all as a family man
I’ve had the best that anyone can.
With three fine girls and three fine boys
And grandchildren great complete with noise.
I would not change the life I’ve had
The pleasure of being plain “old dad”.
Yes, I have had the best you see!
And the best of all is my Teresa E.
And now my working time is done,
I’m here and paid for having fun.
I have no complaints. God’s been good to me
As He’s blessed me, may He also bless thee.
Poem from 1985 by John William Stimson
Rob Ryan
August 31, 2008
We are very sad to hear about Uncle
John. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.
Robert, Laurie, Curtis & Liane.
Douglas Stimson
August 31, 2008
John William Stimson
was Born on December 28, 1925
on a farm in North Enderby, BC
on August 23, 2008, he passed away peacefully at the age of 82.
He did not want us to cry for his passing but to know that he had a very good life full of many blessings.
It must have started out fairly tough, and when Dad was quite young his family had to leave their farm in North Enderby.
They moved to a very small farm in Aldergrove, and that is where Dad grew up.
In his late teens, he left Aldergrove and joined the Navy during WWII. In 1945 he served on the aircraft carrier HMCS Warrior.
Beloved husband to Teresa for almost 60 years. They first met in Halifax in 1946, where Mom was working for the department of the navy. John was handsome and lucky; won Teresa's heart; and in 1949 married her in Carrdigan, PEI.
They settled in Montreal where Dad was a Police Officer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He had second jobs that included being a sign painter and a silk screen printer.
He gave a lot of himself to support his family with six kids. A good family man he even built an ice rink in the backyard of our home in Montreal.
In 1969, he moved all of us from Montreal as his CP Rail position expanded to work for CP Air in Vancouver.
Dad had been a special constable, a detective, and an inspector. For us kids living with a police
detective during our teen years may have had a few glitches but we sure new we were safe at home!
During his career with Candian Pacific Airlines some of his duties included... creating new security procedures, helping to opening new international airports, searching planes for bombs, and being on call to ensure security for shipments of gold and special air cargo. His keen mind found ingenious ways to stop criminals and help put them away. In Vancouver John was the Head of Security of CP Air for 15 years until he retired in 1984.
He traveled the world with Teresa and to many places on his own for work. When he travelled to other countries he always brought us back something exicting.
Kath, Liz, and I remember him taking us to McDonalds for sundaes or fries in our pj's when we were small. That was a neat treat at for us late at night.
Once he told me that he taught my Mom to cook but I didn't buy that. I do know that he could cook and sew along with all his other talents.
His daytime favorite would be to go fishing in the ocean or at the river.
His evening favorite was to play cards with his good friends.
Dad was an amazing woodsman and took us camping every year. He always found out where the nearest church was and he had our Sunday clothes hanging from the ridge pole of the tent. We never missed Mass no matter where we were.
He taught us to ride bikes.. play Chess, Backgammon, Crib, and more...
He taught us to drive, he taught us to fix things...
He even tried to teach me patience....... I am still working on this one.
It is fantastic that so many of the things he taught us are passed on to his grandchildren and these things will live on thru generations to come.
All his Grandchildren knew they could reliably say... "Don’t worry, my grampa can fix it".
Dad truly could do anything... and he just did it! He was a "MacGyvor" like repairman and inventor.
He could find things in his shed, make new parts, and repair almost anything... usually in less than an hour!
One of the many cool things Dad made was an art-o-graph for my sister Kath. It worked great for projecting and enlarging images to be re-drawn. Other than the lens which came from something else I believe he made every part of that including the gears, cranks, and glides.
He fixed our toys and anything else we managed to break...he could fix anything!!! (whether we liked the end result or not...it was fixed!)
Even though we didn't always agree with Dad, he was always there for us and we knew he loved us. He provided good advice to us even if we didn't use it.
I remember the day Dad saw my first car which was a 1972 Austin Mini... He immediately had advice for me. He said, "You just need to do two things... Get a new carburator... and then jack up the carborartor and drive a new car under it.
For Dave probably one of the most memorable projects was when Dad got a rolled-over Datsun sports car from our Uncle Nestor and rebuilt it for our brother Bill. Dad had never done any body work, but he took a night-school course and started in. He built a temporary shed for the car and worked steadily for months in his spare time. That was a great car and it got passed down to Dave and then to his friend, John.
Our vehicles kept dad pretty busy. He replaced timing belts, re-built transmissions, replaced water pumps; fuel pumps; dead batteries and who knows what else.
For one of my cars, Dad rebuilt the starter motor with parts he made himself from a pieces of a golf bag, a toilet seat, and D cell batteries. He had actually made new electric motor brushes from the carbon cores of the batteries.
When Janet had frozen pipes or one of us broke down 100's of km's away from home... one phone call for help and Dad always dropped what he was doing to come and help us. Many of these rescues took a whole day and sometimes more.
That’s the way it was with Dad, he was one of those people who could be counted on to help out when someone needed it. There was always a solution to a problem, a way to fix something that was broken, and none of us can remember him ever giving up on a challenge.
Nothing was impossible for him and he found a way to leave that with me and many of us here today.
We can do anything we set our minds and our hearts to. He did that and more to help everyone he knew.
You can tell alot about a man by his friends. I always liked my Dad's friends, they were good people that were easy to respect. How amazing to go through your life and hang on to so many fantastic people as friends!
Dad really really loved our Mom... and his love showed.
He knew how to laugh and he had a great smile.
Thru the spring of 2008, John was still driving and physically mobile . He enjoyed getting out with Teresa and his mind was sharp right thru his final days.
He is now enjoying a place where I am sure nothing is broken and he is free to continue inventing... go fishing... or play cards.
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Debra Ryan
August 29, 2008
Stimson Family...
Special hello from your Nova Scotia family connection. So saddened to hear about Uncle John and realize that it was so sudden .
Times like these are never easy however you folks have such a great family network and I know that you will be there for each other.
Glad to hear that Aunt Connie and Uncle Ernie made the trip and that Joanne will be singing today. That will be special!
Hey I could say a lot more but wanted you all to know that I am thinking of you folks here on the east coast. Meanwhile at 10:30 a.m. your time and 2:30 p.m. my time I will have a moment of silence and a quiet prayer for Uncle John and all of you at the funeral.
Take care and keep smiling in your heart remembering all those great memories of Uncle John.
Deb
Connie & Ernie Clark
August 28, 2008
We have so many beautiful memories of John that go back through the years. We remember our great road trips together, and our many visits to each other's homes...made even more special by John's warmth and humor. Most of all we remember his love, generosity, and kindness. God Bless and comfort his family.
Chuck & Michele Royalty
August 27, 2008
We never met John, but we know he has a lovely granddaughter, Jessie. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. God bless you with peace and comfort you with his love.
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