Service at a later date
John J. Pepper, Q.C.
February 17, 1928 – May 15, 2020
It is with profound sadness and much love that we mourn the passing of John J. Pepper, Q.C. of Montreal (Westmount) who died peacefully in the MUHC’s Royal Victoria Hospital on May 15, 2020 at the age of 92 years.
John will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 66 years, Anita Turcotte; his children John T. Jr. (Kim), Timothy (Nathalie), Anthony (Karen) and Andrew (Sophie); his grandchildren John Anthony, Matthew, Samantha (Emmanuel), Brian, Christopher, Alexa, Cameron, David Liam and Lara Grace; the most recent addition to his family, his great grandson Arthur; and his numerous nephews, nieces and friends. He was predeceased by his beloved son David, his brothers William and Richard, and his sisters Pauline, Marguerite, Annette and Kathleen.
Born in Montreal in 1928 to William Pepper and Blanche Frigon, John grew up in Westmount and he spent many memorable summers as a youngster with his siblings and cousins at the Frigon country home on Lac Mongrain near Shawinigan, where the experiences of large family gatherings would have a deep impact on him during the years that followed. His education took him from Westmount High School to Loyola College to McGill University, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Law in 1952. He was an accomplished drummer in a band as he worked his way through university, and he could often also be found playing the harmonica. He had a keen interest in politics from very early on, having contributed significantly to the Liberal Party, first as a Young Liberal in the mid to late 1940s, and then continuing his unwavering commitment over the many years that followed, notably as President of the Montreal Reform Club in the mid 1960s and as President of the Westmount Liberal Riding Association thereafter.
John had a distinguished legal career in private practice, specializing in general civil law and in insurance law. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1953. After articling at the firm of Brais, Campbell, he worked his way to managing partner of its successor firm Campbell, Pepper, Laffoley. He was very active in the affairs of the Canadian Bar Association, the Quebec Bar, and the Montreal Bar where he was Bâtonnier in 1978. He was also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
John was also an accomplished businessman, beginning in 1967 when he accepted to partner with the British entertainment conglomerate The Rank Organization to build a movie theatre in the new Alexis Nihon Plaza which was to be operated by Canadian Odeon Theatres. Over the many years that followed, John’s involvement as Rank’s joint venture partner grew to include 40 movie theatre and drive-in theatre screens operated by Canadian Odeon in the province of Quebec.
John also found time for corporate directorships and, always so generous with his time, he took particular pride in presiding over the boards of the Mount Royal Club, the Forest and Stream Club, The Montreal Board of Trade, the Centraide fundraising campaign, St-Mary’s Hospital, and The Alumni Fund for Loyola College, among others. Suffice it to say that from the very beginning, he was very committed to, and invested a significant amount of his time in, the community. Giving back came naturally to him and he did that his entire life.
John’s life was founded on the principles of hard work, determination and abounding levels of energy, but many will also recall his joie de vivre … maple syrup and the sugaring off parties, the bar conventions, the balls, the trips, salmon fishing on the Romaine, the early Mont-Tremblant years of the 60s and 70s with Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass and the Beatles’ I Want to Hold your Hand ... He took great joy in receiving business associates, friends and family at his homes and he was always so attentive to ensuring that everyone was having a great time.
John’s family would like to particularly thank Mme Odette Laliberté who was devoted to caring for him during the six month period that he spent in early 2016 at his lake house home in the Mont-Tremblant region, the caring and respectful staff at Westmount One Retirement Home who took good care of him over the last four years, as well as the staff at St-Mary’s Hospital and at the MUHC’s Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal who attended to him in his final days during what can only be described as a most trying time for healthcare workers.
A memorial service will be held at The Ascension of our Lord Parish in Westmount on a date yet to be determined, hopefully in September, 2020.
Memorial contributions in his name may be made to St-Mary’s Hospital Foundation in lieu of flowers.
February 17, 1928 – May 15, 2020
It is with profound sadness and much love that we mourn the passing of John J. Pepper, Q.C. of Montreal (Westmount) who died peacefully in the MUHC’s Royal Victoria Hospital on May 15, 2020 at the age of 92 years.
John will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 66 years, Anita Turcotte; his children John T. Jr. (Kim), Timothy (Nathalie), Anthony (Karen) and Andrew (Sophie); his grandchildren John Anthony, Matthew, Samantha (Emmanuel), Brian, Christopher, Alexa, Cameron, David Liam and Lara Grace; the most recent addition to his family, his great grandson Arthur; and his numerous nephews, nieces and friends. He was predeceased by his beloved son David, his brothers William and Richard, and his sisters Pauline, Marguerite, Annette and Kathleen.
Born in Montreal in 1928 to William Pepper and Blanche Frigon, John grew up in Westmount and he spent many memorable summers as a youngster with his siblings and cousins at the Frigon country home on Lac Mongrain near Shawinigan, where the experiences of large family gatherings would have a deep impact on him during the years that followed. His education took him from Westmount High School to Loyola College to McGill University, where he earned a Bachelor of Civil Law in 1952. He was an accomplished drummer in a band as he worked his way through university, and he could often also be found playing the harmonica. He had a keen interest in politics from very early on, having contributed significantly to the Liberal Party, first as a Young Liberal in the mid to late 1940s, and then continuing his unwavering commitment over the many years that followed, notably as President of the Montreal Reform Club in the mid 1960s and as President of the Westmount Liberal Riding Association thereafter.
John had a distinguished legal career in private practice, specializing in general civil law and in insurance law. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1953. After articling at the firm of Brais, Campbell, he worked his way to managing partner of its successor firm Campbell, Pepper, Laffoley. He was very active in the affairs of the Canadian Bar Association, the Quebec Bar, and the Montreal Bar where he was Bâtonnier in 1978. He was also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
John was also an accomplished businessman, beginning in 1967 when he accepted to partner with the British entertainment conglomerate The Rank Organization to build a movie theatre in the new Alexis Nihon Plaza which was to be operated by Canadian Odeon Theatres. Over the many years that followed, John’s involvement as Rank’s joint venture partner grew to include 40 movie theatre and drive-in theatre screens operated by Canadian Odeon in the province of Quebec.
John also found time for corporate directorships and, always so generous with his time, he took particular pride in presiding over the boards of the Mount Royal Club, the Forest and Stream Club, The Montreal Board of Trade, the Centraide fundraising campaign, St-Mary’s Hospital, and The Alumni Fund for Loyola College, among others. Suffice it to say that from the very beginning, he was very committed to, and invested a significant amount of his time in, the community. Giving back came naturally to him and he did that his entire life.
John’s life was founded on the principles of hard work, determination and abounding levels of energy, but many will also recall his joie de vivre … maple syrup and the sugaring off parties, the bar conventions, the balls, the trips, salmon fishing on the Romaine, the early Mont-Tremblant years of the 60s and 70s with Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass and the Beatles’ I Want to Hold your Hand ... He took great joy in receiving business associates, friends and family at his homes and he was always so attentive to ensuring that everyone was having a great time.
John’s family would like to particularly thank Mme Odette Laliberté who was devoted to caring for him during the six month period that he spent in early 2016 at his lake house home in the Mont-Tremblant region, the caring and respectful staff at Westmount One Retirement Home who took good care of him over the last four years, as well as the staff at St-Mary’s Hospital and at the MUHC’s Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal who attended to him in his final days during what can only be described as a most trying time for healthcare workers.
A memorial service will be held at The Ascension of our Lord Parish in Westmount on a date yet to be determined, hopefully in September, 2020.
Memorial contributions in his name may be made to St-Mary’s Hospital Foundation in lieu of flowers.
