Campbell River Courier, July 12, 1961:

John Blenkin, his wife Marie, and two daughters, Patsy and Marjorie, died in a car bus crash
30 miles east of Medicine Hat Sunday morning. Details of the accident are lacking, but it is
believed that the Blenkin car struck a school bus head on.

The late Mr. Blenkin was born in Yorkshire in 1917 and was brought to Canada by his parents two
years later. He came to Quadra Island in 1937, and in 1939 joined the 91st Battalion RCA. Wounded
two weeks after the Normandy invasion, he was discharged from the army in 1944 and returned here.
For the past 14 years he has been driver of the Quadra Island school bus, and was janitor of the
Quadra Island school. He was also chief of the island's volunteer fire department and a member
of the Canadian Legion.

He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Petrie of Quadra Island, two sisters, Mrs. A.S. Haga, Heriot Bay
and Mrs. Ethel Major, Cumberland, and one brother, William Petrie of Campbell River.

Mrs. Blenkin was born on Quadra Island in 1922, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. William Law who also live
there. She leaves two sisters, Mrs. Roslyn Gould and Mrs. Audrey Hebington, both of Vancouver.

Patsy, who would have been 12 years old on Saturday, and Marjorie, who was 13, were both pupils at
Quadra Island school, and active members of the Girl Guides.

Campbell River Courier, July 19 -

Indicative of respect in which John Blenkin and his family were held on Quadra Island, is the
decision of a group of residents to purchase 10 acres of land adjacent to the island community
hall for the establishment of a memorial sports field. ... Anyone wishing to contribute to the
fund may send donations or pledges to the Quadra Island Credit Union ...