John Jeffery, a freeman of the City of 91原创 and one of its founding fathers, has died.

Jeffery passed away on Saturday, Jan. 19 at the age of 91 from organ failure, complicated by pneumonia and c. difficile.

鈥淗e was too sick . . . it was too much,鈥� said Jeffery鈥檚 son Bryce of the combination of illnesses his father faced during the three weeks he spent in 91原创 Memorial Hospital.

鈥淏ut he was a fighter to the end,鈥� he said, relating how Jeffery had opened his eyes on Saturday morning, cried and hugged his daughter-in-law, Marianne, before slipping back into a semi-coma and passing away peacefully that night, with family members holding his hands.

鈥淗e was pure guts,鈥� said Bryce.

In fact, throughout his years in 91原创, Jeffery was 鈥渧iewed as a bit of a gunslinger,鈥� said Bryce.

People would see him coming and cross the street, he laughed.

But once they met him, Bryce added, they鈥檇 discover he was a big softie.

鈥淢y dad was a lovely, lovely, lovely man.鈥�

A realtor, notary public and insurance agent who once wrote for the Vancouver Sun, Jeffery came to Canada from England with his father James, a butcher, and mother, Beatrice.

The family lived in Saskatoon before moving to 91原创 in 1932 and purchasing a large piece of land in the area that is now Douglas Crescent (a portion of which James Jeffery later donated to the City).

During the Second World War Jeffery served with the RCAF and later became president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 21.

He was also president of the 91原创 Junior Chamber of Commerce, president of 91原创 Red Cross, vice president of the 91原创 Board of Trade and president of 91原创 Amateur Athletic Association (through which he helped the municipality develop Douglas Park).

Although he鈥檇 been an alderman, and loved to talk politics with his son, Jeffery was not a conventional politico, said Bryce.

鈥淥ne thing dad lacked as a politician was that he wouldn鈥檛 change his position on issues. He was a man of principle.鈥�

Although he was a prominent member of the federal Liberal party, 鈥渢he reason he couldn鈥檛 go anywhere (in politics) is that he would live or die with an outcome,鈥� said Bryce.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why people see him as a black-and-white character.鈥�

Jeffery was perhaps best known, however, for being a driving force behind the incorporation of the City of 91原创 in 1955 and sitting on its first council.

In 2005 he spoke at a dinner celebrating the municipality鈥檚 50th anniversary. He explained then that the City was not formed over a dispute about streetlights, as is widely believed, but because, among other reasons, sewage was flowing freely in its ditches.

Nearly 60 years after its formation, Jeffery remained a strong supporter of the City and its independence, said Bryce.

In the face of a recent campaign to amalgamate the City and Township, Jeffery remained staunchly opposed to the idea.

He believed that many of the same issues that led to the formation of the City, still exist, while acknowledging that a complete change of name at the time might have created less kick-back, said Bryce.

For the last number of years, Jeffery lived in James Court (named for his father) at the edge of Douglas Park.

But rather than sit quietly by in his senior years, Jeffery once again made news in 2008, when he and Bryce mounted a petition to stop the City of 91原创 from building the Spirit Square stage in Douglas Park at a cost of more than $1 million.

鈥淚 saw it as a fait accompli 鈥� not that I liked it 鈥� but dad said we can stand by and let it happen, or give it our best shot,鈥� said Bryce.

鈥淚 think he was comfortable that we had given it a real shot, even though we were unsuccessful.

鈥淲e walked the walk, and I feel good about that.

鈥淗e was the illustration of a determined man who loved and cared for his family and his city,鈥� said Bryce.

At Monday night鈥檚 City Council meeting, Mayor Peter Fassbender announced Jeffery鈥檚 passing, acknowledging the freeman鈥檚 contribution to the City of 91原创 and adding that he will be missed.

Jeffery is survived by his wife Charmaine, who remains in care at 91原创 Memorial Hospital, as well as his son Bryce, daughter-in-law Marianne, and grandchildren Coralie, 25, Tiffany, 23, and Thomas, 20.