Ron passed away peacefully on October 4, 2021 in Saanichton, BC. Born May 15, 1941 in Vancouver, BC, he is survived by his partner, Xisa Huang; former wife, Lorraine Jakimchuk; sister, Carol Uszkalo (John); sister-in-law, Colleen Jakimchuk; children, Linda Bull (Don) and Rick (Sherry); grandchildren, Sean (Chelsea), Lindsey (Ryan), Lucas, Carli, Marcus and Roy; great-grandchildren, Lucy, Calla, Keaton, Violet, Harlow and Oliver. Ron was predeceased by his daughter, Patricia and brother, Harry.
Ron graduated in 1962 from UBC with a BSc. Biology. He moved to Edmonton to work for the Canadian Wildlife Service before beginning his own business, Renewable Resources Consulting Services, Ltd. In addition, he was the founding President of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists and registered as a professional biologist (R.P. Bio Ret.) in British Columbia.
Ron’s career as a consulting Wildlife Biologist took him many places; from the Arctic to Borneo, the legacy of Ron’s extensive research is far reaching.
As an astute observer of nature, Ron’s appreciation for beauty permeated throughout his life. Ron was an avid fisherman, hunter, horticulturist, writer, singer and philanthropist, who took great pleasure in promoting the welfare of the world around him. Above all, nothing was more precious to Ron than his family.
A Celebration of Ron’s life was held in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens, Victoria, BC on Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 2:00 pm. Due to COVID Restrictions, in person attendance was by invitation only. All others were welcome to attend virtually via Zoom. Click on the image below to watch a recording of the service…
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of the following:
The Ronald D. Jakimchuk Foundation for Wildlife and Biodiversity Research via the Victoria Foundation
https://www.valhallafoundationforecology.org/
Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
16 Responses
I worked with Ronnie D, which he hated to be called, at RRCS starting in 1971 for several years. There were good times working on the Pembina River with Jim O’Neill and on the Old Crow flats with Lee Harding and bad times losing friends in the plane crashes. Ron was always there, steadfast and strong, revelling in the good times and making the hard times more bearable. He was the only guy I ever met who owned a Morgan convertible, bright yellow, and he did love that car and his collection of tweed caps…. as well as eating dry ribs at the lounge across the street. He lived a good life.
For over 50 years I have enjoyed a friendship and countless wonderful experiences with Ron, first as his employee and later as his business partner. He was a generous, thoughtful man with a remarkable intellect and sense of humour. I am deeply saddened by his passing and will miss him greatly. My sincere condolences to Xisa and the Jakimchuk family.
Our heartfelt condolences to Xisa and the Jakimchuk family in this sad time. We moved in next to Ron and Xisa five years ago and felt so lucky to have them as neighbours. Ron shared some of his prized dahlias and bearded irises with us that will live on in our garden thanks to him.
Great neighbours are hard to find and we were blessed to share our property line with Ron.
George and Terri Gromada
Our condolences go out to Linda, Richard and all of Rons loved ones and family. We have fond memories of fishing at the “marker buoy” and sharing beach and meal times together . Ron was a wealth of knowledge and information and a most interesting conversationalist. He could tell life experience stories with wit and humour. He so appreciated nature and his lovely garden. We will always remember his kindness in our own time of mourning. He will be missed.
Ron and I met in 1989 in a professional context. Our friendship was quickly established and grew over the years despite the distance and time zones that separated us. Ron was a remarkable person. His in depth knowledge and expertise in a wide range of fields from wildlife ecology, to gardening and political thought made him a true renaissance man.
Irene and I greatly enjoyed our many visits to his place: great conversation, excellent meals and many hours of fishing (despite motion sickness!).
He will be missed. Heartfelt condolences to Xisa and the Jakimchuk family.
Jim & Joyce O’Neil
I was very sorry to hear about the passing of Ron. I was fortunate to have worked for RRCS between 1971 and 1976. I learned much from him, particularly the need to put in the time and required to achieve high quality work. I also remember Ron’s sharp wit and fine sense of humour.
I am glad to have known him.
Jim