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John Edwin Hocking

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John Edwin Hocking

August 2, 1914 - March 5, 2016

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Ted Hocking was born in Leyland, Lancashire, England on August 2, 1914, the day World War I broke out. He lived a long and active life, experiencing the astonishing challenges and changes in the 20th century.

At the age of five Ted had part of a rib removed to drain and re-inflate his lung, a radical procedure at the time. It helped him to survive the 1918 influenza pandemic that killed millions of people globally. As a teenager his top marks entitled him to attend university with a full scholarship, but at 15 he had to leave school to support his family. Though he was terribly disappointed and bored by the tedium of apprenticeship, he gained acceptance and popularity (despite his working class origins) through his extraordinary ability at cricket and rugby. Ted’s persistence in finding interesting work took him to Rolls-Royce and probably saved his life. His work on the engines for the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster bombers was deemed critical in World War II, so he played a vital role in the war, but not as a soldier.

In 1952, Ted moved to Montreal with his wife Stella and their four young children. He was chief draughtsman for Rolls-Royce Canada, but his real passions (shared with Stella) were theatre and the arts. The couple were mainstays of The Lakeshore Players, a celebrated amateur theatrical group on the West Island of Montreal.

During the early 1970s, Ted was finally able to go to university, earning a degree in English literature by attending night classes at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University).

Over the years their four children moved to the West Coast; in 1994 Ted and Stella joined them, exchanging the harsh Montreal winters for the temperate climate of Powell River. “The best thing we ever did,” they declared, and they took to their new community with enthusiasm, making new friends through involvement with the Rose Society, Powell River Chorus, the hiking club and many travels with Heather Tours. To Ted’s great sorrow, Stella died in January 2015, but he took comfort in knowing he shared 75 years with the love of his life.

Ted was a wonderful father, a devoted husband and an attentive, doting grandfather. He was kind, patient and generous, with an unfailingly positive outlook. He maintained an open and enquiring mind to the very end; truly a civilized gentleman and an inspiration to all of us.
Ted and his family greatly appreciated the attentive care by Dr. T. Chao, staff at Dale Manor and in his last weeks, staff at Powell River General Hospital and Evergreen Extended Care Unit.

Ted died peacefully with family around him on March 5, 2016.
He is survived by his four children Isabel Otter (Neil Boyd), David Hocking (Heather Prittie), Nadja Hocking and Robert Hocking, as well as his nine grandchildren Chris Otter, Tim Miles, Layla Brack, Carla Prittie and Morgan, Simon, Rob, Madeline and Elise Hocking and five great-grandchildren.

A time and place for Ted’s memorial will be forthcoming.

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From: Stubberfield Funeral Home Ltd. Staff

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Bloom Wildly
4712 Marine Avenue
Powell River, BC V8A 3B7
604-489-3384

Nicole Quigley
5300 Yukon Avenue
Powell River, BC V8A 4H4
www.bloom-therapy.ca

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