A community is in mourning following the sudden death of John Bull, an ardent family man, friend to many and well-known local mechanic, who was killed in a car crash Friday afternoon.
Bull, 60, was a much-loved father of two and grandfather to three, who was the proud owner of A/C Plus Automotive Repairs on Penley Road, which has been in business since 1985.
That business will continue, vows his son, Mitch, who will operate the popular shop.
“He was stubborn and strong (and) I loved him,” Mitch said of his dad.
Bull’s wife, Mary Louise, says she has lost her best friend of 42 years.
“He always took care of me. You wouldn’t find a better husband or a friend,” she said.
“It made him extremely happy to help people; he always wanted to help out.”
Bull’s daughter, Justine, says her father will be remembered by those who knew him for his laugh and infectious personality.
“He left a positive impact and left his mark on you. He helped so many people out,” she said.
“There is so much that can be said about my dad ... we could go on and on. He was truly a one-of-a-kind, incredible man.”
While the Bull family is mourning the devastating loss of their husband and father, they haven’t had to do so alone. Bull’s closest friends, neighbours and customers have reached out to his immediate family to offer support.
“This is the most devastating time, but we’ve been blown away to see how many people he truly affected deeply,” Justine said.
“We want to thank everybody who has taken the time to reach out, drop food off, drop off care packages ... we really appreciate that support while we are grieving.”
When former neighbour Bill McCrimmon first heard the news of Bull's death, he, like many, was shocked.
“I was very saddened, I actually couldn’t believe it. I was really shook up,” he said.
When McCrimmon moved into his Penley Road home in 2004, Bull was one of the first to welcome him to the neighbourhood.
“John stopped to say hello and to introduce himself to me. He was always a real good neighbour. If I needed to know something or needed something he was always helpful,” McCrimmon recalls.
“Every time he saw me out cutting the grass he would stop to chat. He always had a big bright smile on his face.”
McCrimmon says he was often invited over to Bull’s shop, which was always kept in tip-top condition.
“It was always immaculate, that’s one thing I always noticed; he was very proud of his shop,” he said.
“I will miss him very much and may God bless him. He was a great guy.”
Stuart Salt had been friends with Bull for over a decade.
“After the shock, the disbelief, I started thinking about all the times we spent together, all the laughs we shared, I thought about all the good memories,” Salt said.
Salt’s relationship with Bull was built around attending car shows together and going on weekend cruises with a group that was organized by Bull.
“It sounds cliché, but you talk to John for five minutes and you liked him; he always had a smile on his face, he was always laughing, he was a great human being,” Salt said.
Salt says he always admired Bull for the way he conducted business at his shop.
“His customers were everything to him, and his customer service went above and beyond. He had a huge following for the repair side of his business,” he explained.
Although Bull loved his work, his top priority was always family.
“His family was always most important to him. He talked about his grandchildren non-stop, he was very close to his kids, he was a great family man,” Salt said.
“He was all around the kind of guy you would want to call a friend. He would do anything for you.”
Dave Wickens was a childhood friend of Bull. They spent summers together from around 1966 until about 1974 while camping at Big Cedar Campground, which Bull’s father owned.
“All I can really tell you is that he always had a great smile on his face and his laugh was unforgettable. He always was willing to help in any way he could if anyone needed assistance or just wanted to pick his brain for information,” Wickens said.
Wickens always felt a close connection to Bull, even when life took them in different directions for long periods of time.
“He was the type of guy that if we didn't see each other for 20 years or more and we ran into each other by chance, it would be like we had just seen each other last week, that's what I call a true friend,” he said.
Despite living a busy life and operating a successful business, Wickens says Bull always made time for what was most important - his family.
“I know that his family always came first. He loved his wife, kids, and his grandkids, and he meant the world to all of them,” he said.
