June 14, 2024
In Loving Memory of ~
Doreen Faye Hannah ~ 1938-2022
John Charles Hannah ~ 1939-2024
John and Doreen met on a blind date at the University of British Columbia, a date that led to 62 years of marriage. John began his engineering career in B.C., travelling around the province to oversee various construction projects. Doreen - based in Victoria with the two children - would load them into the car in the summers to visit him, driving hundreds of miles so they could spend time together as a family.
They lived in Kamloops for a few years before moving to Port Hardy, where John led the construction of the employee housing for the Island Copper Mine. After completing that project, John joined the mine and worked his way up to mine manager.
John and Doreen were active members of the Port Hardy community for almost 20 years. As well as being a full-time mother, ferrying the children to their never-ending sports practices (and always remaining to watch on from the sidelines) Doreen played organ for St. Columba's Anglican United Church as well as piano for the Tsusquana Singers and other musical events. John was a Scout leader; he also led the successful effort to get Port Hardy's first hospital planned and built in two years instead of the projected four.
In 1988, John and Doreen moved to Antofagasta, Chile: John had been hired to establish a new copper mine in the remote Atacama Desert. While there, Doreen became very involved in the community, helping children and families through her various volunteer endeavours.
After Antofagasta, John's mining career took them to Santiago (Chile), Brisbane and Perth (Australia), and Fort McMurray (Alberta). Then, in 2002, after a lifetime of moving, John and Doreen retired to Hope, B.C., where they built the house he had been designing for more than 40 years; it was beautiful - perched high up on Thacker Mountain, overlooking the town - and they enjoyed living there for many years.
Once John had completed the house for his beloved Doreen, he turned to building a retreat in the woods above Keefers - overlooking the old family farm. He also returned to his love of history, exploring the links between Keefers, family stories, and the development of the province while Doreen fought the endless battle to keep her gardens thriving in the warm, dry summer winds.
Despite being abroad for much of their grandchildren's early years, John and Doreen were active grandparents, attending as many basketball games, hockey games, and fencing tournaments as they could manage and, one memorable summer, they led what the grandchildren termed an "epic trip" from Fort McMurray to Great Slave Lake.
John and Doreen are lovingly remembered by daughter Cheryl, son Charles, daughter-in-law Susan, grandchildren Elizabeth (Iain), Theodore, and James, and great-grandson Keith.
