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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
KEELING, John Percival (Jack) - was born on December 4, 1912 to Charles and Shirley Keeling in Winnipeg, Manitoba. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Manitoba where he supplemented his income to pay for his tuition by running the radon extraction equipment for the Cancer Institute which was attached to the University. At the outbreak of WWII, Jack joined the RCN and was trained as an able-bodied seaman. His first year was spent on exchange with the Royal Navy laying mines in the English Channel. Shortly thereafter, he was offered and accepted a commission as an acting probationary temporary sub-lieutenant in the RCN. He was assigned to one of the first courses at Royal Roads Military College on Vancouver Island. During this period Jack met his future wife Patricia, a long time resident of the Victoria area. After graduation, Jack was trained in Anti-Submarine warfare and assigned to the HMCS Dauphin as Executive Officer. For the remainder of the war, Jack served on Dauphin and a number of other Corvettes on Convoy duty in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres. While on assignment in Bermuda, Jack married his wife, Patricia on February 13, 1945 in the first civil marriage ceremony in St. Georges history. At the end of the war, he left the navy briefly to return to the University of Manitoba Cancer Institute but was soon lured back to the Navy with an offer to become Anti Submarine Officer on HMCS Haida, one of the RCN's Tribal Class Destroyers. This was followed by a tour of duty on HMCS Quebec, one of two cruisers the RCN operated briefly during the post war years. Jack's next and final project with the Navy involved the establishment of the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Damage Control School for the Department of National Defence. As a result of this duty, he was detailed to represent the RCN as an observer during above ground detonation of a nuclear device in Yucca Flats Nevada in 1954. Jack retired for the last time from the Navy in 1960 and shortly thereafter joined CF Hathaway Ltd. as Western Sales Representative based in Vancouver. He held this position until his retirement as Vice President in 1977 to pursue his real passion golf. Jack and Pat moved to the island in 1985 and were residents of Sidney when Jack passed away peacefully amongst his family at Saanich Peninsula Hospital on August 22, 2005. A Memorial Service will be held at Sequoia Garden's Memorial, 4665 Falaise Drive, on Saturday, September 3, 2005 at 2:00 pm.
Ships served in: HMCS DAUPHIN - Appointed to DAUPHIN on 14 May 1941 (Stand by). Commissioning crew as SLt, RCNVR, Executive Officer
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