John, who loved his family, dogs, planes, sailboats, trees, and the wilderness, died in Vancouver on March 31, 2014. John grew up in Saskatoon with his identical twin, James, in the home the Gilmour family built after they emigrated from Scotland. Their dedicated mother, Janet, worked hard to provide them with a good life and an education while raising them on her own after their father died. Despite growing up in the Depression years, the boys had many childhood adventures and managed to get up to all sorts of mischief – double the trouble because everyone had difficulty telling them apart.

Fascinated by planes from a very young age, after graduating from high school, John joined the RCAF, but was serving in the Canadian Army in Ontario when WW II ended. This served him well as both he and his brother received help with a university education, both graduating from the Faculty of Forestry in 1950. John combined that experience with his master’s in forestry at Syracuse University to enjoy a long and fulfilling career as a professional forester in Ontario, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. He spent happy times both on the water and tramping in the bush, frequently accompanied by a dog or two.

Predeceased by his loving wife, Irene, and his later‑in‑life companion, Clare, John is loved, remembered and missed by his children, Janet (Richard), Margy (Chris), Chris (Todd), Lisa and John; by “JD”; by his grandchildren, Alexis, Matt, Chloe (Jules) and Caitlin (Adam); and by his great‑grandchildren, Lily, Luca and Avareigh.