Tribute

On Friday, September 11, 2026, Mr. John Kiss of Oliver passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family at the age of 93 years.

He was predeceased by his parents, Jozsef and Iren Kiss (nee Samu) and brothers, Jozsef and Istvan.

John will be fondly remembered by his loving family including wife, Anne; sons, William John (Bill) and Randolph Blake (Randy) and grandson, Jonathan.

John worked at a young age for three years in Hungary as a bookkeeper/auditor before coming to Canada during the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. He worked for 40 years at the Oliver Fruit Packing House: Oliver Co-op Growers Exchange in progressively senior roles including as Grower Services Supervisor/Purchasing Agent. His first job in Canada was on Queen Charlotte Island building logging roads and installing services before moving to the interior to work installing gas lines from Penticton to Naramata and working on the Penticton Airport runway extension.

John loved to travel and enjoyed trips through western Canada, the United States including Hawaii, his native Hungary and surrounding Eastern Europe.

He was a proud member of the Hungarian Club and enjoyed bowling, golf, watching hockey, photography, gardening and especially growing cactus plants.

A graveside service will be held at 1:30 pm, Monday September 21, 2026 at the Oliver Municipal Cemetery.

Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com

In John’s own words:

I was born on April 4, 1933 in Janosi, Gomor megye at the time belonging to Czechoslovakia, being taken away from Hungary after the First World War. My parents Kiss Jozsef and Samu Iren were mixed farming on about 40 acres.

I was christened after birth and later at age 12 was confirmed into the Reformed (Reformatus) Church of Hungary. My primary school education I received in the Janosi Reformatus Elementary School. Started on my secondary school education at the United Protestant Gimnazium in Rimaszombat, however this was interrupted, when at the finishing of the Second World War that area was given back to Czechoslovakia. In 1948 people of Hungarian origin were “displaced” across the border to Hungary. Our family ended up settling in the southern part of Hungary in the district of Baranya.

An opportunity came to finish my secondary schooling and I graduated in 1955. The same year I enrolled at the University of Sopron (Forest Engineering). Next year, when I was on my second year came the 1956 revolution, as a result of that I ended up coming to Canada. Took the second year in Vancouver, but in 1958 I decided not to continue on in the field of forestry. In June of 1958 came to Oliver and started working in the fruit industry at the Oliver Co-op Growers Exchange which later developed into the OSC (Okanagan Similkameen Coop). This is where I spent my working life till retirement. Throughout the years to improve myself, I enrolled in a number of correspondence courses and seminars: Complete Course in Photography, Bookkeeping & Accounting, Basic Principles of Supervision, Seminars on Leadership & Team Effectiveness etc.

In the summer of 1960 I met and after a short courtship on November 26 married Anne Horkoff in Oliver’s United Church. She was born in Saskatchewan, but from age 5 spent all her life in Oliver. Together, through the years we created and enjoyed a very happy home and family. We were blessed by two wonderful sons: Bill on October 24 1961 and Randy on May 29 1965. They grew up to become wonderful young men, got their university educations and we really thank God for them. While they were growing up, as a family, we were fortunate to travel extensively, covering Western Canada and the Western United States and Mexico. In my spare time I enjoyed photography, bowling, golfing, raising cactus plants and having the best garden I could create.

I thank God from the bottom of my heart, for guiding me on my way to this wonderful heaven on earth, for an angel for a wife, for the retirement years and the peaceful happy life.