John T. Harvie

With sincere greetings at this time of anguish, my family will share with you some of the life and times of John T. Harvie - a character truly bigger than life.

He was born in Ottawa on August 1, 1955.

His mom and dad took him home to live with them in St. Sauveur des Monts, a small town in the Laurentian Mountains, in Quebec.  It was there he grew up with his siblings and went to school.

After leaving high school, John grabbed a back pack and headed out for his life of adventure.

Over the next few years he worked in the high north, he hitch hiked down the California coast - sometimes sleeping on the beach - and eventually made his way to Alberta.  There he worked in the restaurant industry in Banff and Jasper filling his spare time with the things he loved most: skiing and cycling.

From there he ended up in Calgary, working at day jobs and living for a time in the single men’s hostel.  Yes - he had been homeless.

One rainy day, as he walked past the Canadian Forces recruiting office he saw a sign in the window and thought, why not give that a try?  The Canadian Air Force trained him and put him to work as an airframe mechanic and posted him to Moose Jaw.

This is where John and I crossed paths in 1982.  Life had put some challenges in front of both of us, we seemed to just click.

He joined in with my family and I joined in with his family and in 1984 we were married.

John was posted to the air base in Winnipeg; we moved here in 1988.

This is where his love of teaching began to flourish.  Sadly his complex health concerns took hold.  John was released from the military after 13 years of service, due to his Crohn’s Disease.  With the guidance and support of his health insurance provider, he began an education journey earning a diploma in Creative Communications from Red River College, then Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources at the University of Winnipeg.

He loved being part of the international community.  He taught English as a Second Language and spent many years with the International College that is connected to the University of Manitoba.  He loved that job. 

He also began a long career with his insurance provider, using his Human Resources training to help military members released due to illness or injury, find new paths in civilian life.  He was deeply successful in that work and continued it until his last day on this planet.

He often took one of his cameras along with him on outings.  He had a good eye for photography.  He was pretty good with the computer too, and was our household IT department.  He grew his hair to donate for Wigs for Cancer.  He was involved with Shakespeare in the Park.  He enjoyed English Country Dancing.  He was content creator for a local radio station for a time.  Don’t forget his sports car.  He loved driving his Mini Cooper with the top down - driving cross country enjoying whistle stop tours.  The list seems endless.

He was devoted to his chosen children for over 40 years, and to his grandchildren their whole life.  If a particular binder was needed for back to school, it didn’t matter if a stop at every store in town was needed.  Sitting beside a grandson at the barbershop for a hair style and getting the right product to help keep it in place was great fun.  Crossing the country to watch a baseball tournament did not require a second thought, we were there; or journeying to a swim meet to cheer on our swimmer doing her best with the free style stroke was a no brainer.

John loved animals too, so of course we had pets, Odie, Bucko, Tucker and Zeke the cat.

John commuted by bike and he rode for pleasure as well.  He packed up the Brompton’s (folding bikes) and we took them on trips.  A particularly memorable one was to New York, where we participated in an Urban Challenge - a type of scavenger hunt that took our team all over down town NYC.

John was endlessly interested in history and politics and his general knowledge left many of us wondering “How does he know all that?”  He was quick witted and outspoken, feisty at times - conversation was never dull.

One very cold winter day, -40 I am sure, John walked through the door with no coat on.  I asked him “where is your coat?”  He was coming home from downtown on the bus and there was someone on the bus who was not wearing a coat.  He gave the stranger his coat.  John assured me that it was ok.  Our house was only half a block from the bus stop and he had another coat at home.

Early one Sunday morning, I looked out our front door window and noticed a city of Winnipeg van with men working on something.  It looked unusual to me.  I said “John what is going on out there?”  He came and looked and said “They are turning off our neighbours water!   I can’t believe they are cutting off their water on Sunday morning!”  He ran outside and talked with the city workers and told them he would pay the water bill.  “There are kids in that house!  You can’t turn off their water!”  The work crew said taking payment like that was not something they could do.  He told them to call their supervisor.  He then went up to the house and told kids in the house to start filling up the bath tub with water.  It all worked out.  After talking with the supervisor, who came to the scene, he took John’s money and the water did not get shut off.  Can you believe that?

If you didn’t have a bike and wanted a bike, John Harvie would make sure you had a bike.

If you wanted a cell phone and didn’t  have a cell phone. John Harvie would make sure you got a cell phone.

These are a just few stories of John in his neighbourhood.

One amazing guy as he inched his way to the goal post.

In 2023, embarking on the next phase of life, we sold our home in the North End and moved down town to a vertical community.  We called our space a deluxe apartment in the sky.  We were welcomed instantly and have been included and cared about ever since.

John was predeceased by his mother Elizabeth Foster Harvie, his father, John D. Harvie, and his mother-in-law, Isabelle Holmes.

He is survived by his siblings Jennifer, James, and Jessica and their families.  Cousins, cousins, and more cousins and of course his long list of friends and extended family, nieces and nephews.

Holding on tight are:

Me, Beverley Ann,

Children: Colleen (and Kelly), Chrystal and Geordie,

Grandchildren: Keira, Abigail, Wyatt, Jonathan and Rachel.

He was quite pleased that he made it to 70 years old.  To celebrate for him, please go out for a meal - perhaps roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, perhaps a seafood platter and a glass of wine or two.  He loved to host and provide wonderful parties and meals, even though eating was difficult for him.  Remember to tip your server generously. 

At home we would have garden parties, every summer the back yard was set up to share lots of food and good times.

Now that he is released from such a devastating disease, he can finally rest.  He always looked like a million bucks, that guy. His dress and deportment never took a second place.  Shining his shoes, ironing his shirts - he always turned out well.  His moustache and beard were a pride and joy.  And don’t forget his hats and Irish sweaters, and the odd bowtie - all of this belying the pain and suffering he endured every day.

Consider making a donation to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.

Finally, a grand thank-you to all his health-care providers over all the years.  Our health-care system looked after him with such care and concern it is impossible to describe.

People have been asking “when is the service?”

Please accept these thoughts as both a funeral service and a Celebration of John’s Life.

Please reply to this with any memories you may have.

Thank you for loving him, thank you for caring.

Shall we meet somewhere as John might say to “lift a pint” and chat a while?  Let me know, I’ll be there!