Tribute

With great sadness we announce the passing of our dear father, John Moncrieff, on September 10, 2010, at McKinney Place Extended Care Unit in Oliver, BC.

John is survived by his two daughters, Carol (Charles) Crawford, New Westminster and Elsie Fish, Rescue, California, and son, Randy, Vancouver; along with ten grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his loving wife of 70 years, Eileen, on May 5, 2010; by daughters Frances Ellsworth in 1996 and Nancy (Douglas) Agate in 1997; by granddaughter Kim Ellsworth in 1991; by parents George and Edith, five brothers Kenneth, Donald, Cecil, James and Charles, and his only sister Marian Arnold.

John was the fourth of seven children born to George and Edith Moncrieff and spent the first years of his life on the family farm just outside of High River, Alberta. He married Eileen Nelson from the Meadowbank community west of High River on December 9, 1939, and the couple lived in a little house on his parents” farm. In 1941 John enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces and served with the Royal Canadian Engineers overseas in Italy, France, Germany and Holland during the Second World War. After his discharge in 1945 he and Eileen took up farming on their own land a few miles from his father’s farm. By 1947 they were the parents of three daughters, Carol, Elsie and Frances. Then in 1950 John again enlisted and served in Korea where he was part of the Canadian 38th Mobile and Ambulance Company, a team that evacuated the wounded from the front lines.
After his return to civilian life in 1952 he gave up farming and worked at a number of different occupations in different parts of Alberta and northern BC over the years. Some of these jobs included gravel trucking, heavy equipment operation, pipelining work, grain buying for the Alberta Wheat Pool, selling explosives to oil drilling companies, and serving as a Postmaster.
By the time he became Postmaster at Sylvan Lake, a son, Randy and a fourth daughter, Nancy had been born. The three older daughters were married between 1961 and 1963 and John and Eileen became grandparents for the first time in 1963.
In 1967 the Moncrieff’s decided to move to the sunny Okanagan area of BC, as many Albertans before them have done. John and Eileen lived on an acreage with cherry and apricot trees on Sawmill Road for a number of years before they moved into town. John was a faithful member of the Royal Canadian Legion for many years and was also well-known at the Elks” Hall.
In 2005 his life was changed drastically when Eileen”s health declined so much after a bad fall that it necessitated her move into McKinney Place Extended Care Unit. Unfortunately, due to complications from his own health problems, John had to join Eileen in McKinney Place a year later. They lived in rooms across the hall from each other until Eileen”s passing in May 2010. The family wishes to thank the staff at McKinney Place for their compassionate care and support. At John”s request there will be no service. He will be sadly missed and always remembered by his family. Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com. Arrangements entrusted to Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Service & Crematorium, Oliver & Osoyoos, BC.