John 'Spike' Spears
Lieu de naissance : Halifax, Nouvelle Ecosse, Canada
Date de naissance : 11 mars 1922
Lieu de décès : SYDNEY, Nouvelle Ecosse, Canada
Date de décès : 29 octobre 2012
John Charles Spears, of Common Street, Sydney, passed away Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, at his residence.
Born in Halifax on March 11, 1922, he was the son of the late Charles and Lillian (MacGillivary) Spears.
John was a veteran of the Second World War. He joined the Halifax Rifles on June 6, 1940. He then sailed on the ‘Andes’ from Aldershot in Halifax, landing in Liverpool, England in 1942. He was transferred to the Sherbroke Fusiliers (tank corps.), as a gunner operator. After further training in England and Glasgow, Scotland, he was back to Worthey, England, and sailing in a severe storm, landed in Ben Sur Mur, Normandy on June 6, 1944 and took part in the Invasion of Normandy.
In October 1945, John returned to Canada and after being released, worked at Eaton’s and then, Sydney Steel, as a millwright for 40 years. John was a member of St. Alban’s Anglican Church, Whitney Pier and for over 60 years, a member and past president of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 12, Sydney. He was also a member of the Nova Scotia Command Action Committee, and then, as president for the Cape Breton District Command, served as Whip for Provincial and Dominion Conventions, secretary treasurer of the Cape Breton District Command Bowling League, and president and chairman of the Nova Scotia Bowling League. John received his Meritorious Service Award in 1984, Palm Leaf in 1985, Legionnaire of the year in 2002 and in 2007, his 62 year pin. John enjoyed working for the veterans and their spouses, never refusing to help anyone, especially if he knew they deserved help. The one committee he served on, that was close to his heart, was the Welfare Committee and Service Officer. In 1985, John was given the honour of going to Holland on the 40th Anniversary and later to Ottawa when the Dutch government presented him with a medal for service well done and he received his Holland Medal, which was presented for his participation in liberating the Netherlands in the Second World War.
Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Ann (Janes); daughter, Valerie (Jim) Burke, Boisdale; sons, John, Christmas Island and Blair (Glenda) Sydney; seven grandchildren, Jason (Michelle) MacNeil, Virginia MacNeil, Donald MacMullin, Elaine La Cross, Candace, Chris & Carla Spears and three great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Emmett and Rilyn.
Visitation will take place at Sydney Memorial Chapel on Thursday 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. A funeral service will be held at St. Alban’s Anglican Church on Friday 11 a.m., with Archdeacon Brenda Drake officiating. Interment in Forest Haven Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to the Veterans Comfort Fund.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or email sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca.
