John’s parents were recent Russian immigrants. At 12, John accepted Jesus as Saviour. When he was 17, the family moved to Yarrow, B.C. John enjoyed assisting Mennonite immigrants settling in Vancouver; one of them, Katie Dyck, caught his eye, and they married. In 1958, John and his brother Aron began building homes in Vancouver and Burnaby, B.C. John engaged with his family through hiking, skiing, motorcycle riding, waterskiing, and camping. Devotions were a priority in John and Katie’s home. At Willingdon Church, John served as deacon, Bible study leader, elder, and usher. In 1997, he had a major heart attack, but God gave John and Katie a few more years together. After further heart failure and multiple strokes, he spent his last 3 years in a care home. John was positive and friendly, a testimony to his dependence on God.
