August 9, 1939 - March 31, 2025
In loving memory ~
August 9, 1939 to March 31, 2025 (85 years)
Although profoundly saddened, it is with joy that we celebrate and remember the life of John Munro Ross. Devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother, John met his final wish in passing away peacefully surrounded by his family.
He lived his final four years at Mountain Lakes Seniors Community in Nelson BC. He will be forever loved by his beloved wife Evelyn (nee Grossman) with whom he recently celebrated 61 years of marriage, his daughters Patricia Dehnel (Morgan) of Nelson BC, Margaret Ross (Andrew McCredie) of Melbourne Australia, Diana Sarkis (Josh) of Vancouver BC; his grandchildren, Alexandra (Tom Cameron) and Grace Dehnel, William and Olivia McCredie, George and Frances Sarkis, and great grandchildren, Vera and Maeve. He also leaves a brother Bob Ross (Sandra) in Vancouver.
Born in Vancouver BC, on August 9, 1939, John was the 1st child of John David Ross and Margaret Garnett (nee Tatlow). John went to St George's School from 1950 - 1958. He was head boy for both Grade 12 and 13 (1957 and 1958). He attended Royal Military College in Kingston from 1958 - 1962. Upon graduation, John spent 3 years with the Royal Canadian Engineers, and was stationed in Fort Churchill, Manitoba where he met Evelyn, a teacher on the Military base. They married August 1963 in Lorette Manitoba, and were restationed to CFB Suffield (Medicine Hat) Alberta, where their first daughter Patricia was born.
In 1965, following the award of the Athlone Fellowship, John, Evelyn and Patricia relocated to Birmingham, England, where John completed his PhD, and welcomed his second daughter, Margaret. In 1969, the family relocated to Dartmouth NS where he joined Defence Research Establishment Atlantic (DREA) working as an Underwater Acoustician and welcomed the arrival of his third daughter, Diana. In 1984, John relocated to DND Headquarters in Ottawa until he retired in 1995. For the next 15 years John worked as a consultant in Underwater Acoustics for various organisations, and was a member of the Defence Science Advisory Board.
He was an enthusiastic cross-country skier and spent 3 years as President of the Canadian Ski Marathon from 1997 - 2000. He also spent a year as President of St George's Tennis Club in Dartmouth NS in 1977. In later years he was an avid cyclist, swimmer, hiker, cross-country skier, vegetable gardener and duplicate bridge player.
He also grew beans for the Shepherds of Good Hope until it was too hard on his back. John maintained lifetime friendships from his St George's School and RMC University days as well as his Nova Scotia, Ottawa and Nelson years.
John is a Canadian at heart and has proudly covered the country.
John was raised in British Columbia;
His first daughter was born in Alberta;
He canoed across Saskatchewan;
He married Evelyn in Manitoba;
He retired in Ontario;
He bought his first car in Quebec;
He lived and worked in the Maritimes,
His third daughter was born in Nova Scotia;
And he made his way back to British Columbia to spend his final four years in Nelson.
A celebration of John's life was held at the Prestige Lakeside Resort, Nelson BC, on Sunday April 6, 2025 at 11:00 am.
The family thanks the caring staff at Mountain Lakes Senior Community for the support, love and care John received in his last years. A special mention goes to Peter "the reader" who brightened John's days.
In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation to the charity of your choice or, in the spirit of John's love of country, the Trans Canada Trail / le Sentier Transcanadien https://tctrail.ca/
For more information and to leave a message of condolence, please see the Thompson Funeral Service website at https://www.thompsonfs.ca