JOHN FEARING

John A. Fearing was a musician, teacher, activist, and outdoor enthusiast and art lover.  He died in 2007 at the age of 78 on April Fools Day, an irony he would have appreciated. Humorous to the end, he was a tall, distinguished, very opinionated and articulate Englishman.

John was born in 1928 in Lancaster, England. After graduating from teacher training and later Trinity College of Music in London he immigrated to Vancouver in 1958 with his wife and musical partner Shirley Ging with whom he had three children. He was a well known and respected teacher in Vancouver for 27 years, working at Lord Roberts Elementary, and King George, Prince of Wales and John Oliver High Schools. As a teacher of Music and English, John inspired many young musicians and writers with his enthusiasm, passion and challenging questions. His success as a teacher was attested to with the letters from past students he was always delighted to receive for years thereafter. As well as teaching, John had an illustrious career as an organist, composer, accompanying pianist and choir director in various churches in the Vancouver area including, St. Andrew’s Wesley, New Westminster United, West Vancouver United and Canadian Memorial.