For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

 

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

 

John Basil Smith

 

Petty Officer, RCN

 

Born: 20 Jan 1935, Toronto, Ontario

 

Died: 12 Dec 2019, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

 

SMITH, John Basil - of Dartmouth. It is with great sadness that we, the family of John Basil Smith, announce he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on December 12, 2019 at the age of 84. Born in Toronto on January 20, 1935, a son of the late Fred and Sarah Smith. Smitty was a Petty Officer with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1952 until his retirement in 1972. During this time, he served aboard HMCS Bonaventure. He worked at Halterm as a longshoreman with ILA Local 269 after his retirement from the Navy. He was a proud member of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame as No. 52 with the Shearwaters Flyers in 1957. He was predeceased by his wife, Isabel (Gilliss) and his son, Allan Smith. He is survived by his brother, Stewart Smith and sister, Jannette Dempsey of Ontario. He is survived by his daughters, Christa (Rick) Eddy of Upper Cornwall; Judy (Mark) Nickerson of Hubley; Donna (Mike) Rafuse of Prospect; and Angela (Jon) Griffin, Cole Harbour; grandchildren, Emily (Shawn), Bradley (Jessica), Julia (John), Bryan (Sarah), Evan, Laura and Sarah; and his companion, Helen Coleman. Dad's singing and jokes will be missed by all including his Navy buddies and those at his McDonald's interludes. Visitation will be 7-9 p.m. on December 17th in Dartmouth Funeral Home, 29 Queen St., Dartmouth. Funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday, December 18th in St. Peter's Parish, 10 Maple St., Dartmouth at 10 a.m. Father Jim Richards, Celebrant. Family flowers only by request, in lieu donations to Feed Nova Scotia, Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, or Shearwater Aviation Museum. Family would like to thank Northwood Home Care, VON, Palliative Care, doctors of the Heart Function Clinic and Drs. Katerina Neumann, Todd Howlett and Karsten Gehrig. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald 16 Dec 2019)

 

Ships served in:

HMCS BONAVENTURE

 


 

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