John “Chick” Newman

To all the Family, (Jan, Judy, Thad, Brian) my sincere condolences. Mr. Newman was one of the nicest men I have ever met; a true gentleman. Such fond memories of our families together and I know He will live on in all of you and your families.
With heartfelt love

To the Newman family in Victoria
From the Newman family in Toronto

Although geography separated us most of our lives, in our hearts we have always been together. The loss of my uncle Chick is very painful but I will always cherish the wonderful memories we made when our mutual travels (beginning in 1960) gave us the opportunity to visit with our ‘west’ and ‘east’ families.

If it can be said of a man that he was kind, caring, compassionate, a devoted husband and loving father, then it can truly be stated that he was a great human being who will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Chick was the only brother my father (Harry) had and I find it comforting that they are now in a place where their close bond can be renewed.

I offer my sincere condolences to you all and would say in closing that:

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven;
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to weep and a time to mourn.

Cherish the memories in the years to come.
Love, Marian (Lorenz)

To the Newman family:

I was the Chief Administrative Officer for the District of Oak Bay for many years, retiring in 2010. I thought you might be interested in the story of how John helped get me started in my career. John did serve for a time on our Parks and Recreation Commission, so of course I knew him in that capacity. But the really pivotal encounter occurred much, much earlier, when I was a teenager not long out of high school.

In the 1970s, when I was attending the University of Victoria, there was a “Canada Manpower” employment centre on campus. It was in an old house situated on a bit of a rise at the south east corner of Finnerty Road and Sinclair Road. This is where employers would set up to conduct their recruitment interviews.

I had started university in September of 1972. As the end of term approached in the spring of the following year, I was hoping to find a summer job. I managed to get an interview from the British Columbia Forest Service. They seemed somewhat interested in the fact that I had hiked the West Coast Trail as a 17 year old a couple of years before, but a few weeks passed and still I had heard nothing one way or the other.

At that time, most provincial government departments still operated out of the Parliament Buildings themselves. One morning in March of 1973, I skipped a class or two and took a bus down to the “Buildings” as they were familiarly known back then. I wandered down the corridors and stopped in front of a frosted glass door marked “Department of Agriculture.” I had no idea whether or not they hired students for summer work, but I opened the door and stated my business to a woman at the front desk. She said she would bring out “Mr. Newman” to talk to me.

I was expecting a brush-off, but Mr. Newman seemed amiable. He asked my name.

“Cochrane? Your mother’s name wouldn’t be Doreen, would it?”

What a stroke of luck! It turned out that this Mr. Newman had worked with my mother in the Department of Finance in the late 1940s.

He apparently recalled fondly his early days in the Finance Department. He said that the Department of Agriculture did not do much summer hiring, but asked where else I had applied.

“The Forest Service,” I told him. “Inventory Division.”

“Ah. I know some of the fellows there. Let me have a word and we’ll see how it goes.”

Well, this was encouraging. I told my mother about the encounter. She remembered “Johnny Newman” very well. She remembered that he was a New York Yankees fan, to the degree that he even planned his honeymoon so as to take in a game at Yankee Stadium.

Within a couple of weeks, a letter arrived, advising that the British Columbia Forest Service would be pleased to take me on as a compassman for the 1973 field season, and that I would be working out of a camp in Fernie, in the East Kootenays.

So began seven consecutive summers of outdoor work and adventure that brought me into contact with people of all types and from widely varied backgrounds – a huge benefit throughout a seemingly unrelated subsequent career – and which taught me much about myself and the sort of person I wanted to be.

Without that Forest Service experience, I would have been less successful in my local government career. Indeed, without this on my resume, I doubt whether Oak Bay would have hired me in the first place – as a young executive assistant, back in 1980.

When I retired, Oak Bay Council was kind enough to dedicate a small park, Cochrane’s Common, in my name – behind the Oak Bay Municipal Hall. As far as I am concerned, no John Newman, no Cochrane’s Common – without question one of the key figures in my life.

I am sorry to hear that John suffered from dementia late in life. I went through this with my own mother and know how tough it is for everyone. But, certainly, a life lived to a purpose, with many folks better off for having known John. I know I am.

Brian & Lorna
I am so sorry for the tremendous loss. During this time of sorrow, cherish those amazing memories that will last forever with you.

We are so sorry for your loss, Judy. It sounds like your Dad was an amazing man.