Remembering the Hon. John Nichol, Founder of PPRI
John Lang Nichol
January 7, 1924 - February 24, 2020
John Nichol died at his home in Vancouver, peacefully, after a brief illness, at the age of 96. He was a beloved husband to Rosann Cashin and to his late wife Elizabeth Fellowes Nichol; father to Majorie Nichol (Michael Eisen), Barbara Nichol, Sarah Milroy (Tom Milroy); and was loved and admired by his six grandchildren: Jessica (Paul Hanlon), Ben Eisen (Chloe Flower) and Sarah Eisen; Jonathan and Nellie Millroy and Elizabeth Burns (Oliver Burns, and great-grandchildren Sam and Angus Burns); and by his cousin Bill Lang (Denny). He will be remembered also by Rosann’s children Heidi Cashin (Jaime Carrasco and grandchildren Sebastian and Alexander Carrasco); Maria Cashin (David Begg); and Laurence Cashin.
John will also be deeply missed by his friends of many generations at Savary Island and Hernando, where he was legendary as a skilled fisherman, amuser of small children, splendid storyteller, wit, and gifted mixer of martinis. Another favourite place was Sun Valley, Idaho, particularly the Warm Springs downhill run on a sunny day. He loved his dogs. If a man’s life can be measured by how many loved him, there could have been no bigger life.
John Nichol was a proud Canadian, serving as a Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Navy in the North Atlantic during WWII, and in the Canadian Senate from 1966 to 1973, under the appointment of Lester B Pearson. He was a passionate Liberal all his life, active in the federal campaigns of 1962, ‘63, ‘65, and ‘68, and was President of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1964 to 1968. He was founding Chair of the Lester B Pearson College of the Pacific; and founding Chair of the Pacific Parkinson Research Institute at the University of British Columbia. In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and was promoted to Companion in 1996.
A funeral service will be held at St Mary’s Kerrisdale, Vancouver, on Monday, March 2, at 3:00pm, followed by a reception at Equinox Gallery, 525 Great Northern Way, behind Emily Carr University.
Note: After his passing, the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Institute renamed the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Chair in honour of John Nichol. This position is now called the John L. Nichol Chair in Parkinson’s Research.