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JOHN WEBB REDSTON
Date of Passing: Oct 11, 2012
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryJOHN WEBB REDSTON 1933 - 2012 Passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, October 11, 2012, after his first full day at Riverview Palliative Care. It was the perfect ending to a decade of declining health and to a glorious day that was filled with friends and family and even a ceremonial sip of vermouth served in cut crystal. He was predeceased by his wonderful wife Margaret (2004) and is survived by his siblings; Sheila Mahood (Ontario), Peter (Florida), Marcia Barr (New Mexico), who had all visited John in September. He will be missed by his loving children Elizabeth, Nancy (Gord) and Jennifer (Dan) and grandchildren Mallory, Allyson, David, Jonathon, Katie, Maggie and Olivia. John was born in Drummondville, Quebec and moved almost every two years until graduating from high school. As a result, he kept his own family firmly rooted in the bucolic setting of Wildwood Park. In 1953 he set out to McGill University to become an engineer but discovered Canadian literature and a flare for writing first rate essays and, as he put it, promptly forgot all about engineering . John set out to live his own Canadian stories starting out as loans collector for Household Finance in British Columbia. The job was his first introduction to the world of finance and the lessons stayed with him his whole life. He earned a degree in Business Administration and Finance from the University of New Brunswick and maintained a passion for Canadian studies throughout his 25-year teaching career at Red River College. John co-authored the first bibliography of Canadian business sources as well as a survey of Canadian content in 60 textbooks and also earned a national citation for teaching excellence and two awards from the students for service excellence. He had the great fortune to marry his sister's best friend Margaret Finlay; the two girls roomed together at nursing school. John and Margie left their home of Kingston, Ontario to forge a life together on the prairies, making great friends, enjoying gourmet meals, good books, cottages, Unitarian fellowship and family road trips back east. John - prolific reader, writer, photographer, craftsman, motorcyclist and art and theatre enthusiast will be missed. A joyous celebration of John's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 22 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 603 Wellington Crescent. Donations, in lieu of flowers, can be sent to the Unitarian Church Endowment Fund at Winnipeg Foundation or USC Canada. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 www.nbardal.mb.ca
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 13, 2012
Condolences & Memories (2 entries)
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I don't remember John being athlete but I did see him steal second base during a staff baseball game at Red River college many years ago. John was drafted to fill a vacancy on the Library team. At one point in the game he hit a single but pulled a muscle in his leg while running to first base. This left him limping but since there was nobody to pinch run for him he stayed in the game. The next hitter was thrown out at first by the time John, with dogged determination, had limped half way to second base. When the first baseman threw the ball to second John spun around and began limping back to first. John had only limped five or six feet when the second baseman cut him off with a throw to first. John turned around and started limping back to second. When the first baseman returned the ball to second John reversed field again. This time the second baseman made a wild throw that went over the first baseman's head. John immediately headed back to second and was able to limp all the way to the bag before the ball was retrieved. It was the single most exciting play I've ever seen in a baseball game. I can't remember whether or not he was wearing his beret. - Posted by: Norman Beattie (Former colleague at Red River College) on: Oct 22, 2012
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To John Redston's family, please accept my deepest condolences on "Mr. Redston's" passing. I loved this man!!! I entered RRCC as a mature student at the ripe old age of 42 back in 1986. John and I hit it off right away. I'd spent a couple of years at both the U of M and U of W but needed to accelerate my entry into the workforce. I was terrified at the workload. As your dad stated.." community college is not for sissys. Only the pragmatic students come here. I mean we cram 24 months of university into 20 months of community college. I did manage a 4.0 GPA upon graduation and your dad had a great deal to do with it. We were snarly with each other. The young students got a kick out of this. He never let me off the hook. In class he would address me as "Mr. Pesochin" when I called him Mr. Redston. Eventually, I dropped the Mr. He got me, a bonafide sissy, to excel at public speaking by telling me I didn't have to ever make a speech. He got us all to study our brains out by handing us a textbook and the final exam and telling us we were responsible for learning this book stuff while he was going to teach us some REAL marketing strategy in class time. He was outrageous and from him I learned to become an out-of-the box thinker and developed real moxy. We parted as friends and I never forgot him. I was delighted to have crossed paths with him over the last 10 years where I was employed in jewellery and watches at the Bay downtown and he'd stroll in to the department waiting for watch or jewellery repair. There was ornery Mr. R. and we'd talk and I knew he was unwell. I loved the photo used in his obit. I am so delighted he got to die in his sleep. And, how delightful to see he left a "passel" of grandkids who I hope made him proud. Thanks for taking the time to read this. LYNNE - Posted by: Lynne Pesochin (former student at Red River ) on: Oct 17, 2012
