April 3, 1954 - June 5, 2024
In loving memory ~
Jack Fredrick Mowatt, 70 years young, passed away surrounded and held by his wife Janie, and children, Morgan and Gina on June 5th, 2024. Jack grew up with his sister, Jan Pollard, in Nanaimo, BC. He met the love of his life, Janie Mowatt (née Murray) in 1978 and they recently celebrated 40 years married and 45 years together. Janie's family became his own and he loved them all deeply. Jack and Janie travelled to Hazelton over 30 years ago to connect with his biological family, where Jack met his father, the late Fred Wale, Fred's wife, Vera Wale and his siblings, Bev Scott, Daphne Wale, Millie Wale and the late Ken Wale along with many loving aunties, uncles, and cousins. Jack was welcomed into his family and the Gitxsan Nation with loving open arms, and was adopted into Wilps Gwomitx and given the name, Diihadix, previously held by his late father.
Jack was a skilled mechanic and would provide help to anyone who needed it. He loved driving bus, which he did at BC transit for over 20 years, and he particularly enjoyed his time driving handyDART where he made friends with the regulars who often brought him goodies on his routes. Jack was a committed firefighter with Lantzville Fire Department and volunteered for over 15 years. Jack also built and raced stock cars for years, and for a short time motorcycles as well. Most recently, Jack built and raced go karts. An avid and talented mountain biker, "Uphill Jack" helped build and maintain trails, raced and rode all around BC and in the USA for many beautiful years with his wife Janie and his mountain biking community.
As a father to his two daughters, Jack coached baseball and brought his girls along on his adventures: hiking, biking, camping, and sometimes trouble-making. Jack became a Pops to Sim maa'y and Sa Freddie, Morgan and Chris's children, and took his role seriously, finding them their favorite new toys on the side of the road, doing crafts together, taking them on tractor rides, and instilling a deep love for Christmas (vacation) in them. Jack was a trickster and loved to make us all laugh and make his own rules. Jack was full of life and magic, he lived his life to the fullest, challenged himself, and took risks. He played hard and loved harder.
Jack is survived by his wife Janie Mowatt, children Morgan Mowatt (husband Chris Rankin) and Gina Mowatt, and his grandkids Sim maa'y and Sa Mowatt-Rankin; Granny Vera; his sisters Jan Pollard, Bev Scott (husband Vince Scott), Daphne Wale, and Millie Wale and his much-loved nieces and nephews. Jack is pre-deceased by his Father Fred Wale, (adoptive) Mother Catherine Mowatt, and brother Ken Wale.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to honour Jack's life consider donating to the Cancer Society or NRGH's Palliative Care Unit. Plans to celebrate Jack's life will be announced at a later date.