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Jack Luoma


On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, with his loved ones at his side, Ared Jack Luoma died at home after a lengthy tussle with that most cowardly of opponents: cancer. He is survived by Pat, his loving wife of 47 years, daughters Teri MacDonald (Stu) and Traci Bradley (Brad), beloved granddaughters Erinn and Teagan, brother-in-law Ken Aitken (Helen), sister-in-law June Luoma, and numerous nieces, nephews and treasured friends.


Born in Ladysmith in 1935 to hardworking Finnish immigrants, Jack was an avid outdoorsman. Hunting, fishing and tramping through the bush were lifelong passions. His opinion of big cities, on the other hand, is unprintable.


Jack loved the nuts and bolts of things, taking them apart to see how they worked. This machinist’s curiosity led him to successive, frequently overlapping careers: newspaper photographer, typesetter, auto mechanic, printer, and gunsmith. Whatever the mechanic’s equivalent of the gardener’s green thumb is, Jack had it. He could fix things whose purpose he didn’t fully understand, things he’d never seen before, things for which he hadn’t the proper tools.


He read widely and deep – watching Jeopardy! with him could be downright humiliating. And he loved music, especially the jazz of the 1920s and 30s; he knew the players, the dates, the songs.


He was patient and generous and down-to-earth. He was a loving husband and father, uncle, grandfather, friend. Dressing him up was torture for everyone involved. He was somewhat deaf. He was somewhat deafer selectively.


He liked root beer, peanut butter, seafood. Not necessarily together. He laughed at Fawlty Towers. He understood physics and flowers. He loved dogs and the odd cat. And Land Rovers.


Thanks to our wonderful family and all our friends for their love and support. Special thanks to Dr. Veerapen, and nurses Geri, Beth, Barb and Maria in the Chemo department at Campbell River Hospital, Community Nurses Monika, Barb and Sandi, and Jack’s great friends Dave, Karl, Laurie, Roland, Reid, Dick, John, Drew and Laurie.


At Jack’s request there will be no funeral service, rather a Celebration of his Life, at the Campbell River Maritime Heritage Centre, 621 Island Highway, on April 24th 2-5 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the BC Cancer Agency.



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