John, age 81, passed away peacefully at home with his family in Victoria, on October 1, 2006.
John enojoyed a successful media career. As a young man in Thunder Bay, Ontario, he was a popular radio and television newscaster and disc jockey.
John then moved to the print media starting as a reporter and columnist and quickly progressing to managing editor and publisher for several Thompson newspapers across Canada.
John and his wife Joyce spent many happy years of semi-retirement in Barriere, British Columbia as part of a small community of great friends.
They then retired to Victoria to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
In addition to his success as a journalist, John was also an accomplished artist from which he derived a great deal of pleasure. But above all, his greatest pleasure was the time spent with his grandchildren.
John was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend; he led a rich, full life and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
John is survived by Joyce, his wife of 62 years, his four children, Allan (Linda) Friesen, Deborah Mabee (Bob), Peter Friesen, and Gary Friesen, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Special thanks for all the support from the caring and wonderful people at Hospice Home Care, and the DVA, to Shirley Dixon (home care nurse), and to Dr. Roy Smarden for the help he gave us.
No funeral by request.