John William STANTS

STANTS, Squadron Leader John "Dutch" William. It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of John Stants, age 73, on October 25, 2004, after a short illness. Born in Winnipeg on July 27, 1931 to Dutch parents, he was raised in occupied Holland before returning to Canada in 1948. Soon after his arrival, John joined the Royal Canadian Air Force to begin a twenty-seven-year military career as an Air Force pilot. In 1974, John left the Armed Forces and, for the next fourteen years, he held progressively responsible positions in civil aviation. In his flying career, he accumulated in excess of 14,000 flying hours on more than sixty types of military and civil aircraft. In his executive positions, he served as a Vice-President of Quebecair and directed a five-year Canadian International Development Agency project to reorganize the National Airline in the Republic of Guinea. In 1990, John was appointed by the Federal Government to be the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board and served two terms before retiring in 1996. He was a founding member of the International Transportation Safety Association. In retirement, John remained active in the Ottawa community with The Friendship Windmill Corporation in trying to bring to the National Capital Region a working Dutch windmill that would be a lasting memorial to honour the Canadian forces who liberated the Netherlands at the end of World War II. John is survived by his wife, Francoise Chalifoux, his son Carlan and his wife Brigite, his son Jeffrey and his wife Elizabeth, his son Robert, his son Philip and his wife Robin, his son Brian, his son Anthony and his son Lawrence, his sister Geraldine van Steenbergen and her husband John, his brother Bill and his wife Evlyn, his grandsons, Andrew, David, Noah, Michael and his wife Roxanne, Adam and his wife Amy, Michael, Matthew, Benjamin, Jamie, Christopher, Benjamin and Jeremy. He is fondly remembered by his niece Sonja and her daughters Carla and Rachel, his niece Leslie, his niece Carol and her sons Sammy and Jack, his nephew Glenn and his niece Kristin. He is predeceased by his parents Kathleen (Deurloo) and Cornelius Stants and his niece Sheila. He is also remembered by his many friends and "flying buddies." Friends may visit at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street, Ottawa, on Sunday, October 31, 2004 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Memorial services for John Stants will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, November 1, 2004 at the Church of St. Bartholomew, 125 Mackay Street, Ottawa. Interment will be held at the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces (Beechwood Cemetery), 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa. Messages of condolence may be sent to stants@rogers.com. The family would like to thank all the staff of the Ottawa Civic Hospital for their help and support. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society. The Ottawa Citizen