John Featherston Hilliker

An exceptionally nice person. RIP

John and I grew up as next door neighbours, friends and classmates. We became particularly close when John , Anne and I were in Senior Matric at Kamloops High School in 1953. . This friendship has remained strong over the years and we always looked forward to and cherished our annual visits on the Shuswap Lake,
John was an amazing, bright, articulate, kind and knowledgeable person. He had great insight into Canadian and international politics and history. John possessed a unique sense of humour. For example, when asked by a teacher at Kam High what it meant to stabilize a government. He responded “ you stabilize governments in the winter and pasteurize them in summer.” Anne and I consider ourselves very fortunate to have had John as a close and loyal friend from High School days until the present. . I recall many happy times Day shared as a child with John and his parents. John leaves an amazing legacy with the insights and knowledge shared in his publications. Rest In Peace dear friend.

Every summer my parents, Gordon and Anne Lloyd, and myself would travel by boat across the Shuswap lake to see John and share a meal at his parents' cabin. He was always a gracious host and full of interesting stories. On the way home my father would remind me how good of childhood friendship the two of them had. Their lifelong friendship inspired me to have the same relationships with my own friends throughout the years.

Mr. Hilliker was, without a doubt, one of the nicest people I have ever known. I had the pleasure and honour of meeting him when I joined External Affairs, and always found him to be incredibly kind and thoughtful. I enjoyed working with Mr. Hilliker, and was in awe of his encyclopedic knowledge of Canada's foreign relations! I know he will be missed by many.

While a relief from a terribly cruel disease for John, he leaves a space in our lives that won't be filled. From high school groups to later, when our mothers, who were friends had tea at John's very old and charming cabin at Shuswap Lake. .I drove my mother there and we had a lovely time. John was so very caring and supportive of his mother over many years....since they left, I had a lovely annual day at the lake with the Lloyd's or others of John's many and interesting friends..all very accomplished people from many places in the world.
A humble but very knowledgeable person, John's interest in history was never dry and he always told stories with such depth of knowledge, humility and great humour. I am so very grateful to his wonderful friends who have been with him through these last years and , consoled, knowing and chatting with Doug and Margaret MacDonald from time to time, who were especially attentive, involved and understanding. I will join you from Kamloops on Friday. We have all lost a special person.

Age and reduced mobility make it impossible for me to attend John's Memorial Service but as a few words are said to "speak volumes" here goes. Over many years John and I visited each other, met each other's friends and attended exhibitions, conferences and meetings together - particularly the evening "dinner and talk" meetings of the Ottawa branch of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs. John was a fine scholar, an ideal colleague and a valued friend. "One of the best" - he will be greatly missed.

I had the privilege of working with John on the Documents on Canadian External Relations series and the second volume of the Department of External Affairs official history. He was a superb historian, a gifted writer and a wonderful mentor. Above all, he was a good friend. I will miss him.

John was a lifelong friend.

It was my privilege to know and work with John over many years at Foreign Affairs. As a historian I always valued his knowledge, rigorous attention to fact and detail, and sound and careful judgement. But more importantly, as a person I admired his rare qualities of kindness, tolerance, consideration, wit, and utter honesty.
“His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, THIS WAS A MAN!”

Dr. Hilliker taught me History at Lakehead University from 1969 to 1972. He was the best Professor I ever had.