LS John Rowland Harrison's passing

[Navy_Blue]

I'm posting this in the hopes some other people who might have sailed with Johnny might have a chance to make his Funeral.

I was informed today that a kind friendly little man I had the pleasure of sailing with lost his battle with Cancer March 13th.  I was informed third hand through another member HMCS Montreal.  John Harrison was a member of the CSE Dept of HMCS Montreal on NATO in 2005 and shortly after was diagnosed with Brain Cancer.  His funeral will be at the Anglican Church of Good Shepherd in Sackville on 28 Trinity Lane, Sackville NS. 

Naval/Military attendees are welcome

A bus is laid on for Military Members leaving from the Stad Drill Shed @ 0815 on Saturday 17th March.  I recommend you contact the HMCS Montreal's shore Office if you wish to attend and use the bus.  Dress will be No 1As.

The family requests no flowers and any donations should be sent to the Canadian Cancer Society of the Anglican Church of Good Sheperd.

I encourage anyone who may have sailed John to attend. 

My heart felt condolances goes out to his family 

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Condolences to those that sailed with John and his family. Thank you for bringing this to our attention N_B.

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

RIP Sailor. 
The thing that is missing here is that there was a wonderful picture of him in his dress high collar whites accompanying his Obit this morning in the paper.

http://www.halifaxherald.com/announcements/display.php?anntype=obituaries~2007/03/15~16006291

HARRISON, John Rowland
HARRISON, John Rowland - 39, Beaver Bank, passed away on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, in VG Site, QEII, Halifax, after a long battle with cancer. Born in St. John's, N.L., he was the only son of Elizabeth (Marg) Fraser, Amherst, and Keith Harrison, Hammonds Plains. John was a proud member of the navy in the Canadian Forces for the last 17 years. Among John's passions, he loved his devoted and loving wife, Leoda and his three boys, Newfoundland music, model building, VW Bugs and the Titanic. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Leoda (Wellman) Harrison; sons, Mark (10), Jack (5) and Isaac (2 years, 11 months); sister, JoAnne (Robert) Bolger, Sackville, Halifax Co.; stepsister, Lesley Fraser, Bedford; stepbrother, David Fraser, Calgary; paternal grandmother, Ethel Harrison, England; many aunts, uncles and cousins from around the world. He was predeceased by maternal and grandparents, Rowland and Emily Roberts; paternal grandfather, John "Jack" Harrison. His remains are resting at Atlantic Funeral Home, 125 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville, with visitation on Friday, March 16, from 2-4, 7-9 p.m. Funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, March 17, in The Church of the Good Shepherd, 28 Trinity Lane, Beaver Bank, Rev. Don Shipton and Padre Bruce Murray officiating. Interment will take place in The Church of the Good Shepherd Cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations in John's memory may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society of Nova Scotia or The Church of the Good Shepherd. On-line condolences may be sent to the family at: www.atlanticfuneralhomes.com

 

[NavyShooter]

I was a pallbearer for him yesterday. 

Rest in Peace John. 

To Absent Friends.

NS

 

[kratz]

I just saw this notice.

Rest well John. May peace be with you. All the best for family, friends and shipmates take strength in each other.

 

[NavyShooter]

From my portion of the Eulogy:

John Harrison. 
How do you say goodbye to a friend?

John was many things, and just speaking of one facet of his life would not do justice to the man we called Friend, Husband, Dad, Pack Leader, co-worker or crewmate, so I’ve got a few short words here, and a couple of short stories about times we shared.

I first met John over a decade ago, when we sailed together for a brief period on the Athabaskan.  John was an experienced sailor, who knew his job, and his skills followed him through the fleet.  He was a competent, dedicated technician, and was respected among his peers.

We shared a desk at N-6, and we worked side by side for almost 2 years.  From service calls all over CFB Halifax, to re-imaging almost every windows 2000 computer on the base, we kept ourselves busy, but being sailors, we answered the call and headed back to sea in 2003.

I had the opportunity to work with John again on the Montreal starting in late 2004, just before NATO.  This mission took us around through Europe, from Poland, to Holland to Spain...there’s many happy stories that could be told, but I think the one that meant the most to John was when drove from Germany to Holland to attend the VE Day celebrations in Appeldoorn for the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII. 

On the way down, John got to drive on the autobahn, and I think John’s only disappointment was that he didn’t get to drive that fast in a Volkswagen! 

We arrived in Appeldoorn, and it was truly an event to remember, the parade of veterans lasted over 4 hours.  John and I ended up getting interviewed by the CBC, and he even made their nationally released DVD. 

We also visited the Volkswagen museum, and while I poked about, John was practically crawling underneath the cars in the museum, wishing for a 13mm wrench so he could bring some spare parts home!  Seeing the delighted look on John’s face as he shared his passion for the Bug with me that day is a memory I’ll never forget.

I know that weekend was one of the two big highlights of John’s trip.  The other was when MONTREAL put into Dublin, Ireland, and John had the chance to go up to see the slip where the RMS Titanic was built. 

Then we came home, we all went on leave, and when we came back to work, we got word that John had had a seizure.

From there, the news did not get better, and now, all of us here today are saddened by the loss of this man, this husband, and this father, our friend.

I was asked if I would like to speak today, and I truly did not know how I would say goodbye to John. 

In the end, a part of him is still with all of us in our memories, the good times shared, the hard times endured, and all the moments in between.

In closing, there was a quote that I picked up from one of the World War I battlefield sites that John and I visited together that I think is appropriate here.

“Out of the stress of the doing
Into the peace of the done.”

 

[p_imbeault]

RIP Sailor 
Condolences to his family and friends 

 

[armyvern]

Wow.

I met John years ago through my friendship with his sister Joanne (who went on to marry my friend and fellow Sup tech Rob). My condolances to the family and to his shipmates.

We have lost a good man.

Veronica