John Sheppard Walton, or “J.S.” as we all knew him, has gracefully exited the Board room after many years of superlative governance. His 91 year old corporation stood the test of time and served him well, but in the end, as most entrepreneurs do, he merged with a greater power.
Although many other cherished members of his Board have since been lost to similar mergers, J.S. has been able to enjoy the local love and support of his two sons, Ross and Stuart, for many years. Collectively referred to as “The Porks” by J.S. during their formative years, his boys meant everything to him as they followed their own life journeys that eventually lead them back to him in Victoria.
J.S. began his own journey in the remote environs of Chicoutimi, Quebec where his family forged a life in the pulp and paper towns owned by the Price Brothers. Survival meant not only battling the elements, but gaining peer respect with the French Canadians both on the hockey rinks and in the school yards. For his high school years, John was sent to Ridley College, a traditional English boarding school in St. Catharines, Ontario, the same venue his own father had attended decades earlier, and the same venue that his own sons would attend decades later. He went on to secure a degree in Civil Engineering at McGill University which he nimbly navigated while attending late night performances of the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Oscar Petersen. After a brief stint at the University of Toronto Law School where he saved the world from one more lawyer, J.S. emerged from his university years unharmed and victorious, with a new bride in arm. It was this stretch of life from Northern Quebec all the way through to Montreal and Toronto that John spoke most fondly about later in life.
Freshly launched into the fast growing, post-war industrialized world, J.S. was expertly supported by beloved (and now departed) wife Joan (nee Watson). With her at his side, he took his special brand of life on the road: St. Adele, PQ (fun while it lasted); L’lIe Perrot, PQ (Robertson Irwin, Engineer); Welland, ON (Atlas Titanium, Marketing Mgr); Montreal, PQ (Canadian Liquid Air, Executive VP); London, UK (Amalgamated Metals Corp, President); Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Brascan, Director); Calgary, AB (Westmin Resources, CEO); and Vancouver, BC (Placer Dome, CEO, Endeavour Capital, CEO). Even when J.S. eventually retired to Victoria in 1990, his “hobbies” included chairing the Boards of the 1994 Commonwealth Games, the Victoria Hospice Society and holding a Board seat with the Royal BC Museum. He was appointed Honorary Doctorate of Laws at the University of Victoria, Honorary Governor of the Victoria Foundation and was a recipient of both the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award. Always the true captain of industry, JS also sat on the Boards of MacMillan Bloedel and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
And yet despite all these fine achievements, the most enduring mark that J.S. will leave with all of his family and friends will be his zest for life and heart of gold. J.S. was an avid golfer and club member, not just at Victoria Golf Club, but at The Lakes in Palm Desert, Gavea Golf Club in Rio de Janeiro, Foxhills Country Club in England, Shaughnessy Golf Club in Vancouver and Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec. J.S. hosted countless Walton friends and family golfing and social events at these venues where so many memories were made. J.S. had an irresistible and contagious laugh, that seemed to go forever. He was generous in spirit and in means. He led by example, but his excellence was always matched with kindness, humour and civility. His two sons have often remarked that if J.S. had been their age, and they met in university, they would’ve been fast friends for life. There is a saying that a man is at his happiest when he is on his way to becoming who he is to be. J.S. never stopped becoming who he was to be. That was his secret to happiness.
John will be loved and forever remembered by his sons Ross (Krystina) and Stuart (Natascha), grandkids Kate, Jack, Charlie, Colin, Rowan, Rune and Freya, nephews Michael and Christopher, nieces Laurel, Kim, Jennifer, Jill, Julie, Kara and Kristin, brother-in-law Jim, sister-in-law Bev, cousins Bill, Doug, Nadia and Ellen, wonderful friend Ruth and so many other friends and relatives around the world.
Funeral services for John will be held at 11:00am PST, Friday June 10th, 2022 at Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Avenue, Victoria, BC.
Reception to follow at 12 noon PST at Victoria Golf Club, 1110 Beach Drive, Victoria, BC.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Victoria Hospice https://victoriahospice.org/.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
18 Responses
John, I thought you’d make it to the same age as Fad. You will be missed. Your humour, kindness and joy for life was truly an inspiration. Your life story was a delight to read and enabled me to get to know you even better. Love you, cousin.
I was saddened to hear of John’s passing and knew him through his membership in La Chaine des Rotisseurs, an international group that is dedicated to enjoying fine dining and wines. I was initially Treasurer when I met John and have since become President (Bailli) of our Chapter. John and I kept in touch over the years since his retirement from La Chaine. I remember John as a true gentleman and great conversationalist. We had much in common, both having spent many years in boardrooms at the “C” level. Rest easy John, Your Chaine friends send sincere condolences to your family. And John, that boardroom in the sky awaits.
Sincerely,
Gail Gabel.
Both of us being only children and having no family in Montreal, it was a blessing when Joan and John moved here with Ross and Stuart and became Aunt and Uncle to our girls. We had such happy times and wonderful experiences and travelled the world with them. We continue to treasure these memories. Rest In Peace, dear John.
Nadia and Douglass Hanson
full meeting at party in Montreal. I also had the privilege of meeting John’s parents in the Chicoutmy area while on trips to the region as a an undergraduate on summer jobs.
As his obituary reveals John , Joan and the boys had a wonderfully full life experience.
Condolences to the Walton family.
Lawrie Jackson and family
I think it speaks volumes to feel very close to someone, to respect and admire him and yet, on reflection, realize that you had only really been in his presence on relatively few occasions. John was always warm, generous and had a great sense of humour. He was wonderful to be around. I am glad I knew him as much as I did. I’m the better for it. My sincere condolences to his family and friends
John was my oldest friend–& I think I was his oldest as well. We kept in touch all the years since our teen age years in Quebec. He & my husband Bill were friends from early childhood, & with our family, John mourned Bill’s death at age 68, in 1999. John & Bill attended Ridley & McGill together. I treasure the memories we shared.
Sincerest condolences to John’s family. My thoughts & prayers are with you all.
John, you leave such lasting memories in my heart of your kindness, your quick wit, strong character and success.
You were truly a “class act”, a great host and a loving family member. You will be missed.
John was a brilliant, friendly man who will be sadly missed. I first met John and Joan at the commonwealth Games in Auckland ( I believe it was ) and we became good friends and then John was very involved with the games here and we worked together. Leslie and I also attended a couple of lovely parties at their home and John did an excellent job as Commander of The Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Everyone we know had the utmost admiration for John and condolences to Ross and Stuart and your families
My deepest sympathies to the family. He accomplished a lot but being a kind friend was certainly one of his best accomplishments. Sincerely Marian Thiel.
I was on the Museum executive when John was Chair of the Board, a wonderful manager of time and people, respectful of the staff and always, always, a sense of humour. A truly wonderful and unique person has passed and the mornings will be less bright and cheery for some time to come.