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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
HANNA, John Murray (Jack) - successfully completed 98½ trips around the sun and has set off on the next leg of his eternal adventure.
John was born in Calgary, Alberta - that we can be sure of. What we're less sure of is whether he was in fact 'born under a pinto pony' as he was fond of recounting. If true, it must have been crowded under that pony - because John had company there - his identical twin brother Robert (Bob). Their early years saw them head west, with time spent in Victoria before calling Vancouver home. Some years later John and Bob were joined by brothers Murray and Blake.
John was an avid outdoorsman and cherished his time on and around the water. He enjoyed skiing, swimming, sailing and spending time with his good friends on salmon fishing adventures in the then-wilderness areas along BC's coast.
The arrival of the Second World War changed John's plans and life dramatically. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy where, after basic training, he was deployed as a wireless telegrapher on board the Frigate HMCS JONQUIERE K318. At the end of the war John returned to Vancouver and attended UBC, where he met the love of his life, Nancy Russell. They married in 1950, a relationship that would endure for 72 years, until Nancy's passing in late 2022.
Following his time at UBC John joined the sales team at Seaboard Lumber Company in Vancouver. It was during this time that he and Nancy welcomed the arrival of sons Mark and Blake. In the late 50's John capitalized on an opportunity in Victoria and started a long and successful career with Sooke Forest Products and Smith Cedar Products. It was in Victoria that John and Nancy built 'Woodburn', a warm, welcoming place that was home to him and his family for over 60 years. Not long after their move to the Island, John and Nancy welcomed sons Paul and John into the family.
John was a quiet and private person, but also something of a renaissance man. His interests included classical guitar, wood carving, collecting butterflies, late-night black-and-white TV shows and, for a brief period of time, water colour painting. His love of late-night TV ultimately gave way to a voracious appetite for reading non-fiction books - as always, centered around spies and WW2. John had a long and loving history with his dogs. From a big boisterous Ridgeback to a long line of Dachshunds, they all held a very special place in his life.
In the early 70s John and Nancy purchased property on Denman Island and established their own special family get-away, 'Seawinds'. John enjoyed the quiet and solitude that he found there, while at the same time welcoming the opportunity to spend time with family and friends on the island get-away.
John is survived by his four boys: Mark (Feng-ni), Blake (Megan), Paul (Meryl) and John (Wanda), 4 grandchildren: Brooke (Kevin), Braden (Ali), Kirsten (Henry), Jackson, and great-granddaughter Leah, as well as his nieces and nephews.
John will be sorely missed - but our memories of him will continue long into the future.
At John's request there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his name to a going cause in your community. (The Victoria Times Colonist 02 Sep 2023)
Ships served in:
Twin brothers - John Murray (Jack) Hanna (left), HMCS JONQUIERE and Robert Arthur (Bob) Hanna, HMCS CHICOUTIMI with one of their younger brothers - late 1943
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