July 29, 1966 – March 5, 2012
John passed away peacefully at home March 5 in the company of family and friends. He is survived by his father, Dennis; brothers Paul (Andrea) and David (Rita); sister Pat (Mark); along with nephews Aidan, Alex and Alexei; nieces Elisabeth, Cate and Sophia; extended family and countless friends. He was pre-deceased by his mother in 1996.
John grew up in Williams Lake, B.C., eldest of four children of Dennis and Maureen Coppard, and joined the Canadian Forces in July 1984, at the age of 18. He attended the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, graduating in 1988 with a BA in English. He later served as a Maritime Surface Officer with the Canadian Navy aboard various ships in Canada’s Pacific Fleet, including HMCS Provider, HMCS Huron and HMCS Vancouver, before moving to the Forces’ Public Affairs branch. John loved the military for its camaraderie and adventure, but in public affairs he found his niche. He began at CFB Comox, writing news releases about search-and-rescue efforts and spending his off time skiing, sailing and kayaking. Later, he became Deputy Director of Naval Communications in Ottawa with Chief of Maritime Staff Public Affairs, and was deployed on operations in the Balkans as a public information officer with the NATO stabilization force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 2006, John was posted as a strategic communications advisor to the government of Afghanistan in Kabul, as part of Canada’s Strategic Advisory Team. John immediately took to Afghanistan, the country and the people. He loved his work and life in Kabul, from advising ministers to touring the countryside and meeting new friends from all over the world. Once he’d tasted the experience, he wanted to go back. So in 2008, John, now a naval commander, retired from the Canadian Forces and accepted a civilian posting as spokesman for the senior civilian representative for NATO in Afghanistan. In the summer of 2009, however, shortly after having signed on to serve a second term in Afghanistan, he learned he was suffering from a brain tumour and was evacuated to Brussels for surgery. While he was in Brussels, his living unit back in Kabul was badly damaged in an early-morning bombing of NATO headquarters. After the surgery, John returned to Victoria to rest, recover and get treatment, but though he was often tired from chemotherapy, he continued to lead an active life. He worked on behalf of the Conservative candidate in Victoria in the federal election campaign and was active in the Catholic church, devoting his time and energy to pro-life and anti-euthanasia campaigns and serving with the Knights of Columbus, while never neglecting his single malt scotch or the comfy chairs at the Union Club.
His friends and family remember him for his ability to charm people of all walks of life, his sense of humour, intelligence, wit, kindness, positive spirit and, above all, his zest for life. Wherever the action was, he wanted to be part of it. As one of his many friends wrote, “The world is less fun with his departure from it.”
Prayers will be offered Friday, March 16, at 7:00 pm at McCall Brothers Floral Chapel at Johnson and Vancouver streets. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Andrews Cathedral on Saturday, March 17 at 2:00 pm, with a reception to follow at the Union Club. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Victoria Hospice Foundation (www.victoriahospice.org), in thanks for the wonderful care provided by the palliative team.
34 Responses
I was most shocked to hear of the passing of John. It was great to see him not long ago after nearly twenty years. My heartfelt condolescenes go out to your family.
To the Coppard Family,
I had the privilege to work and to be a friend of John while he was at Canadian Defence Academy in Kingston. I would like to offer you my sympathie in this moment of sadness and I know that he left his mark and touched everyone he knew in a good way.
I have had the very good fortune of serving with John on two occasions during my naval career – first at NATO headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia and again in Afghanistan. He was undoubtedly a special person. He was a very dedicate naval officer who always had time for the people around him. With his outgoing personality, friendly disposition and great sense of humour, he was a person that you were honoured to call a friend. The world is a sadder place without John. Rest in Peace John.
I only knew John for a few months when I was living in BC. I am now in Alberta and am very sorry that I was able to attend in the celebration of life that he so often spread to others. John you will be sorely missed. You always put smiles on peoples faces and a warm hug to those who needed it.
I would like to offer my condolences to John’s family and friends. I met John at the EPC conference in Vancouver in March 2011 and learnt that he had a brain tumour. I later asked him if he would be prepared to write an article about his journey with a brain tumour and he wrote a very inspiring piece which linked his story to his campaigning against assisted suicide. The magazine in which it will appear will be printred in the UK in May and will be distributed to 11,000 members of the international brain tumour community in 93 countries and I am sure it will provide inspiration to many.
Denis Strangman
Australia
Chair, International Brain Tumour Alliance
http://www.theibta.org
The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will miss John. John was a caring intelligent man who brought hope to all and an example of courage in the face of adversity.
John is a hero who will be missed.
Alex Schadenberg
London Ontario
Hello, I never knew John nor anyone else he knew but I was very touched after reading his obit. I wish I had known him because I think we would have been good friends. We had a lot in common; his Conservative politics, the Catholic Church, anti-abortion and enjoying a scotch!
May he rest in peace and God Bless him and his family.
John was so kind and humble in the way he spoke with others, he will live on in thought and spirit, I am so sorry for the loss of such a special person, he was always positive about life.
Its true as many above have written that inspite of short interactions, John inscribed remarkable impressions on many. I will again say that friends like him are seldom found and we all will badly miss him. May his soul rest in peace and if ever I have a second life, I will again like to get him as my friend. May God rest his soul in peace
To the Family. I had only met John on one occaision but that will forever be in my mind as it was so memorable. He was the media spokesperson at a BC Supreme Court demonstration expressing concern over the possible changes to Canada’s law on assisted suicide. He was brilliant, understanding and compassionate in expressing his fears of where this might lead his nation. We are going to miss you John. Canada has lost a true soldier. RIP Good friend.