1926-2025

John entered into the presence of his Lord on May 13, 2025, having served in the ministry of Word and Sacrament of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, for over sixty years. Loving and beloved husband of Anne, they were the best of friends, and faithful colleagues in ministry. He is predeceased by his parents Marion and Frederick Hibbs, and brothers Robert (Bob), and Donald.

Surviving him is his sister-in-law, Virginia Hibbs, related nephews and nieces, and many close friends who “walked the talk of their faith” with him, over the years.

Prior to his being ordained to the ministry, in his home congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Galt, (Cambridge), Ontario, John was a Cost Accountant for Babcock-Wilcox of Canada in that city.  A graduate of Galt Collegiate Institute, and the universities of Waterloo (Western), McGill, Brock, and Knox College (Seminary) in Toronto, he also did post-graduate studies at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, on a scholarship from Knox College.

John served in three pastorates, Iroquois/South Mountain, Ontario, Edmonton, Alberta, and Hamilton, Ontario. He entered the Interim Ministry Program of Princeton Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian in the U.S.A., and as a graduate served in this ministry of having seven congregations in Ontario, looking at re-imaging their ministries for their future. And this ministry also saw him serving in the national office of the Presbyterian Church in Canada on the Board of World Mission, and its successor, the Life and Mission Agency. 

John’s pastoral ministry within the Church, showed his deep expression of love for the people he served, as with Anne, and in their local congregations, and their wider ministries within the Church. In his retirement years he continued to serve the local and wider Church in what he called his “recycled years”. He and Anne were serving as Ministers in Association, and elected Elders, in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ancaster at the time of his passing.

He was an avid hockey and baseball fan (Toronto and Edmonton). He loved singing in his congregational choirs, and with his wife Anne enjoyed their community ministries, and were patrons and supporters of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. And they thoroughly enjoyed their many travels in Canada, the United States, Europe and Israel, over the years.

Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 23rd at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 31 Sulphur Springs Road, Ancaster, at 10am, immediately followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 11am., with committal in Grove Cemetery, in Dundas at 2pm.