On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, John Henry Moyes crossed over the bar (Royal Navy term to inform of a person that has died) at the age of 86.
John was born on October 17, 1937, in the heart of London’s shipping and marine industry, near the East India docks. He had a legendary memory and could clearly recall helping put out incendiary bombs with his sand bucket at age three and had detailed memories of June 6, 1944, when his dear sister Marie and he noticedthat the tanks of the training Canadian and American soldiers (who had recently given them their first chocolate biscuits) had suddenly left the fields around St. Neots one morning while they were walking to school. D-Day. Despite the war, John had fond memories of his childhood and adored his family.
John Moyes’ life was full of stories, most of them true, of an adventurous, passionate and blessed life, by his ability to see an opportunity and take an educated risk. He had a 40-year career as a successful businessman in the marine industry in Newfoundland and Labrador; was proud to count many fishermen and their wives all across the province among his friends. When the phone rang in the middle of the night, we always knew it was a fisherman asking for advice on his broken-down engine or to put his coveralls on and head to the harbour front to inspect an engine. He built up incredible marine and snowmobile businesses for Steers Limited, and then Charles R Bell, followed by Liftow and was honoured to be the first distributor of Volvo Penta diesel engines in the country.
Yet, as much as he loved being a ‘nuts and bolts man,’ he always said he was an actor with a day job.
Soon after arriving in St. John’s, John joined the St. John’s Players and has been actively involved in both amateur and professional theatre ever since. In 1967, the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre opened with Tom Cahill’s adaptation of Harold Horwood’s Tomorrow Will Be Sunday as part of the national Dominion Drama Festival for which John won Best Supporting Actor. John performed and directed over 100 community plays and has won several provincial drama festival awards.
As a professional actor, John has been a member of ACTRA for more than 40 years and has performed in more than 400 radio plays, stage, film, and television productions. He played many notable historical characters in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history, including Sir Humphrey Gilbert in the CBC production Cornerstone of Empire, winning the ACTRA award for Best Production of the year and a Best Actor Nomination.
John was passionate about community volunteering and served as Board member and Chair of The Crow’s Nest, the Beothuk Institute, the Commonwealth Society, and the St. John’s Players as well as board member of Maritech, Bombardier Canada and the Resource Centre for the Arts. In 2014, John was awarded the National ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society’s Leslie Yeo Award for volunteerism.
He could not have done much of this without the intense love and support and holding down of the fort from his teenage sweetheart Magda (Margaret) Moyes. Ballroom dance partners from the age of 17 (she was his teacher), they courted for eight years before marrying and moving to this wonderful province in 1964, to work on Water Street, in the heart of Newfoundland and Labrador’s marine industry.
John and Magda absolutely loved their lives and large circle of theatre friends and others in St. John’s. They created a home where everyone felt welcome, at over 55 Boxing Day curries, and countless parties and gatherings. John was an adopted dad to many and a great friend to many more. We are forever grateful to John for passing on his love of learning, the arts, leadership, and the importance of community to his children and grandchildren.
Predeceased by his parents, John Henry and Marie, brother Richard and wife Magda in 2022, John will be sorely missed by his children, Louise (Mark), Jonathan (Scheherazade) and Rebecca (Terry); grandchildren Stella, Ava, Gabriel, Kate and Ash; sister and brother-in-law Marie and Peter Garner as well as nieces and nephews Karen, Paul, Dean, Gina, Lisa, Debbie and their families with whom he remained closely connected throughout his life; extended family Ann, Steve and Margie McLean; as well as special friends Lisa, Robert and Simon Hurd, Gary Cook and Lisa Piercey, Lisa Barnes, Fabian and Janet O’Keefe, Frankie O’Neill, David Ferry, the Dupree family and fisherman and master boat builder Vernon Petten.
We wish to give heartfelt thanks to Dr. Costello, Dr. Greenland, Dr. Ryan, Head Nurse Moores, and the staff of 4 North A for their care and kindness during John’s hospital stays.
Visitation will take place at Carnell’s Funeral Home on August 8th from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm. A celebration of life will follow later in August. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the Cultural Artist Emergency Fund at capeartistemergency@gmail.com. In memory of John, please consider joining a local community board.
‘He was a man take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.’ – Hamlet, Shakespeare.
Please note that Carnell’s is a nut free building due to a staff member with a severe allergy. Thank you for your cooperation.
