John Jack Buchanan

Born and raised in Vancouver, Jack has many life-long friends. He attended Charles Dickens Elementary and King Edward High School.

In his earlier years, he rode motorcycles, made his own gear for scuba diving and spear fishing with his friends the "Reef Rats", was on the Grouse Mountain ski patrol, self-taught Jack-of-all-trades, pitcher on many softball teams and salmon fishing.

Jack worked most of his life at NCR, met his wife Monika after fixing her cash register at HBC, bought his family home in 1967 and added onto the existing house to accommodate his growing family and did all the work himself from foundation to roof.

Mentor and idol to sons John and Gary, our Dad always made time to teach, play, and guide us in life. Dad made us stilts, sleds from old skis, desks, motorized tram and taught us to bike, roller skate, street hockey, swim, ice skate, ski, fish, play softball, work on cars, do any kind of renovation work, build furniture and invest/manage real estate. Many fishing & boating trips to Edgewater, China Creek in Port Alberni, Pender Harbour, Egmont, Parksville and Fraser River. Other favourites were night skiing, biking, hiking, visiting Stanley Park, watching planes land, feeding birds and reminiscing about the old days.

Sister Gail fondly remembers when she was 7 years old, her big brother found an old pair of leather ski boots in a cabin up on Hollyburn Mountain. He soaked them in water, straightened them out and used a vice to straighten out the soles. He then resurrected some dilapidated wooden skis and gave her his old ski pants. Gail was officially a skier! Other fond memories include Christmas dinners at the Seaforth Highlanders Armoury, going to movies and playing Cowboys and Indians with her big brother.

Opa loved hugs from his dear grandson Justin or watching his amusing videos of him jumping around, making funny faces, skiing, or casting out his fishing line...they always made him smile.

The last 15 years Jack was on dialysis, had two failed kidney transplants, two broken hips and dementia. Right to the end, he never stopped caring, smiling, and making people laugh. Always curious as to what his sons were doing, we would always tell him what we were working on and it was always followed up with, "You need some help with that?" Our Dad was a kind soul.

Jack donated blood at the Red Cross over 35 times in his life, just because.

Celebration of Life will be announced in January.

To leave an online condolence for the family, please visit our website at www.dignitymemorial.com