JOHN (JACK) CHARLES FALCONER

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

JOHN (JACK) CHARLES FALCONER September 4, 1925 - May 16, 2006 It is with great love and sadness that Jack's family announces his passing on May 16, 2006, in Victoria, BC. Jack was born in Milestone, SK in 1925. His family included his mother Zula, sister Gertrude and three brothers, Wilf, Jim and Elmer. The family moved to Brandon, MB when he was 12 years old where Jack launched his career in sales, working as a paper carrier to help support his mother and two younger brothers. As the Second World War raged on in Europe, Jack became of age and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, training initially as a pilot and then as an air gunner. During this time, he met Sam Dumka and a lifelong friendship began. After the war, Jack returned to Brandon and to the newspaper business, later joining the sales staff of Manufacturers Life. Jack married Louise Lindenberg in 1952 and their marriage has been one of love, friendship, fun, and spirited discourse. He joined his brothers-in-law at Lindenberg Seeds as a sales representative, then, in 1966, Jack, Louise and their two children, Carol and Patrick, moved to Winnipeg where he was the senior salesman for Hignell Printing until his retirement in 1986. Jack has been an extraordinary man. Besides devotion to family, his life always included church and community involvement in Brandon, in Winnipeg, and during his retirement in Victoria, BC. Among the community organizations to which Jack belonged were the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club. He served his church as Chair of Stewards, Sunday School Superintendent, Men's Club executive member, children's lunch program volunteer, and even played Santa Claus once upon a time. Another of Jack's lifelong pursuits was physical fitness. He completed the Manitoba Marathon in 1981 even though he had suffered a heart attack a few years earlier. Although Parkinson's disease had become part of his challenge in 1990, he continued to actively exercise at the Cedar Hill Rec Centre and even at Broadmead Lodge. Besides his wife Louise, left to celebrate his life are Jack's closest family, Carol and Jim, Patrick and Valerie, special nieces, Donna and Jos, grandsons, Jedidiah, Nico and Luke and great-granddaughters, Emrys and Teia. Jack' s sister Gertrude, brother Elmer and his wife Nancy and Wilf's wife Colleen also survive. Special thanks to Colleen for all her love and attention in Jack's end days. Many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and countless friends will also cherish his memory. We offer our heartfelt thanks to the staff of Broadmead Lodge for their respectful, compassionate care throughout Jack's final years. A special thank-you to Randy Murdock for enriching Jack's life there, too. Donations in Jack's memory will be gratefully received by the Lodge at Broadmead, 459 Chatterton Way, the Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson's Centre, 813 Darwin Ave., or Gordon United Church, 935 Goldstream Ave., all in Victoria, BC.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 20, 2006