John Charles Yuille
December 1, 1941 – July 23, 2017
John Yuille found freedom, release, and stillness from his 19 month journey with cancer, just after midnight, on Sunday, July 23. John’s spouse of 36 years, Judith Daylen, was with him as he passed on…through…beyond.
John was complex, brilliant, gentle, usually respectfully opinionated, strong-minded (stubborn), kind, fearless, and generous. Always ready to be counted on, John was the one you wanted with you in a crisis, the one who remained calm and decisive. He was also an empiricist and pragmatist who accepted with equanimity what life brought his way.
John was a superlative communicator, both privately and publicly, as a confidante, a professor (psychology department at UBC for 35 years), a teacher, and an expert witness in courts throughout the world. He was always able to help us see the forest when we became entangled in the trees.
John leaves a wonderful and beneficial professional legacy, dedicated to fairness and justice for victims of crime, especially vulnerable children. His work lives on in the practice of many mental health and legal professionals throughout Canada, the USA and Europe.
John was a good man who died with no fear, no regrets, and no unfinished business (other than missing out on one last visit to his beloved casa in Mexico). He loved his work, his family, his dogs, his friends, and this island, and he was loved in return—a well-lived life—through and through.
John is survived by his family on Saltspring Island: spouse, Judith Daylen; step-son, Zak Cutshall and spouse, Melissa, and grandchildren, Wresten and Aidan; and, his step-daughter in Atlanta, GA., Shannon Wolfman (aka Tracy) and spouse, Jonathan Wolfman. We cannot adequately describe the fullness and the emptiness we feel with John’s passing, other than to note feeling the depth, profundity, and poignancy of love—and, the blessings we find in his release from suffering.
Deep bows of gratitude to Dr. Ron Reznick and Dr. J.P. McGhie (Victoria Cancer Clinic) for treating John with such care, kindness, and respect throughout his illness. John’s passage was also greatly eased by the gentle, good-humored, and respectful care provided by the nurses and staff at Lady Minto and the community care team. Deep gratitude to you all for giving so whole-heartedly and for connecting with us like family. We are also profoundly grateful for the love and support during this journey provided by family and friends and members of the Saltspring Zen Circle. We feel so blessed to be held by all of you and to call this community home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving a donation in John’s name to the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation.
Online condolences can be made at:
www.haywardsfuneral.com