(Oct. 21, 1911 - Oct. 16, 2006)
John Morgan Tutte passed away October 16, 2006 at Heritage Village at the age of 94. For the last six years John suffered from Alzheimer disease. We are comforted knowing he is finally at peace and his nightmare is over.
John was born in Leeds, England, October 21, 1911 and immigrated to Canada in 1918.
During the depression he rode the rails from Saskatchewan to B.C. eventually settling in Vancouver where he became involved with what would become his lifetime passion – physical fitness. In 1939 John joined the Air Force as an air crew fitness instructor. He later transferred to convoy duty and made 74 crossings of the Atlantic.
After the war he returned to his home in Vancouver to manage a new gym and enter the sport of wrestling. In 1948, as coach, he took the Canadian National Wrestling team to the Olympics in London, England.
In 1950 he moved his family to Chilliwack where he opened his own gym. In 1952 and again in 53, known as “Terrible Tutte” he won the Canadian Middleweight Wrestling Championship.
John will be remembered for his many contributions to sports and community life in Chilliwack. To name a few: He was on the Ag Hall Committee; a committee member for the Cherry Carnival and Miss Chilliwack Pageant; a member of the Festival of Sports Committee; President of the Chwk Fastball League; a member of Chwk Kiwanis; a founding member of the YM-YWCA; Sportsman of the Year; a lifetime member of the Chwk Lions Club receiving the Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Dedicated Humanitarian Service.
When John wasn’t organizing or chairing a meeting he loved to garden; sit in the sunshine; dance with Ina; entertain his family with his “Tutte” jokes or the latest wrestling hold. He will be our champion forever.
John is survived by his best friend and wife of 36 years, Ina; daughter Elva MacMannus and family; son John and family; brother Frank (Estelle); step-son Denny (Elaine) Toop; step-daughters Sandra (Peter) Andreasen; Carol (Lawrie) Edwards; Kathy Smith; Shelley (Ted) Thomson. Left to treasure precious memories is his “gang”; step-grandchildren Darren (Jody) Toop; Dean (Nadine) Toop; Terry (Laurel) Kellington; Alison (Bob) Fitzsimmons; Shauna (Kevin) Weiss; Kelsey Edwards; Andy (Sarah Rodgers) Smith; Mike (Amy) Smith; Stacey (Rene) Joensen; Ira and Jessie Thomson and 13 greats.
A very special thank you to Dr. Gordon Enns and the staff at Heritage Village, Eden Care Home and Valley Haven for your love and compassion shown us all over the last few years.
A celebration of John’s life will be held Oct. 29, 2006 from 2-4 p.m. at the clubhouse, Cottonwood Retirement Village, 7610 Evans Parkway, Sardis.
If family and friends so desire, donations to the John Tutte Memorial Bursary Fund can be made at the Chilliwack School District Office, 8430 Cessna Drive, Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 7K4. Please make cheques payable to SD#33 with reference to the John Tutte Memorial Bursary.
A tax receipt will be issued for $25 and over. These funds will be used to help young people seeking a career in Physical Fitness. Two of John’s greatest loves – fitness and young people.
Rest in peace dear John, you have won the match!