We regret to advise of the death of Samuel George Jones of Prince George BC, peacefully, on 4 December 2019 at the age of 96 years.
Sam was born in London, England in 1923 - the youngest of three children. He attended school there and went on to apprentice at the Gestetner plant where duplicating machines were manufactured. Sam joined the Royal Navy at the age of 17 years upon the outbreak of WW II in 1939. He served as a gunnery rating mainly in the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans. He served on a number of vessels, his favourite being the Tribal class destroyer HMS Zulu.
In early 1944 Sam was among a large number of Royal Navy personnel shipped to Seattle, Washington to man the newly built Escort Carriers that were being ‘lend leased’ to the Royal Navy from the United States. They steamed these vessels up to Vancouver to be modified at the Burrard Dry Dock to the British Admiralty requirements. While on leave in British Columbia, Sam met his future wife and they decided to marry and have a family. Not wanting to return to the UK and leave his new wife, Sam left the Royal Navy and enlisted in the Canadian Army Engineers. After the war, he was demobilized in Vancouver and later became a Canadian citizen.
Sam and his wife built a home in Surrey and he worked for a number of years for the BC Corrections Service as a guard. He was transferred to the Prince George jail and, while working there, fell in love with the area with its hunting, fishing and wilderness opportunities. He returned to his apprenticeship background and became a millwright and gained employment at the new Prince George pulp mill when it opened. Sam worked at both Prince George and Intercontinental mills and eventually became a maintenance supervisor before he retired in 1988.
Sam loved his Navy experience so he volunteered his time to join in the leadership of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps #158 Grizzly. Its first Gunnery Officer, Sam was ultimately appointed Commanding Officer. He was president of the Prince George branch of the Royal Canadian Naval Association and was also a lifetime member of Royal Canadian Legion. Sam regularly participated in the Battle of Atlantic ceremonies and never missed a Remembrance Day parade until just this year.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 AM on 14 March 2020 at the Royal Canadian Legion 1116 Sixth Avenue, Prince George BC. Online condolences can be sent to Dignity Memorial. {khJan2020} [zsd]
