My first year at Camp Ahmek was 1942. By that time, John was already a valued senior member of the staff. An artist whose work decorated the new Dining Hall, he did much more than sit around painting pictures. He loved the Park and made it a point to explore its less traveled areas. He had his own Algonquin Special canoe, painted a dark olive green, and used it to travel, especially in the secluded lakes of the "Ahmek District". In 1942, he was in charge of tripping at Ahmek and had to cope with "green" staff like me, a new counselor of 18 years and little experience. He was always helpful and never condescending. His enthusiasm for camping was infectious.

John Hall with Hugh Kenner in the Ahmek District, c.1942. Picture by Robert Hall, John's youngest brother.

John was one of the two prime figures in the development of the Algonquin Park Auxiliary Rangers (APAR) in 1941. This program was set up that year to help fill the gap in supervision and maintenance of less traveled areas of the Park, a gap caused by the departure of many of the regular rangers into the armed services. A plaque hangs in the Ahmek Dining Hall listing the charter members of the APAR crew. Being staff, his name does not appear on the memorial although he was central to its formation. He did paint the map of the area which does outline the lakes involved. I recall that John was very much taken with Maggie Lake, one of the larger lakes in the District. This particular lake was difficult to reach being on the top of a hill, but nonetheless worth the effort. Many of the portages were originally blazed in the lumbering days but had long since disappeared. They were refreshed by compass-plotted ones which frequently took the direct route to the next lake without regard for ease of travel. Some effort was made to make these trails easier to traverse, but all too often the newer versions did not become established before they also disappeared through lack of use. For years the Ahmek District was a quiet retreat for TSC types who wanted to escape the overcrowded main routes of the Park. True, it was a big walk and little paddle, but who could forget the unique taste of a Namakootchie trout which even was better because of the effort to get there.

For many of us, John was one of the quiet saints of Canoe Lake, a man who made the camps a very special place to be.

Requiescat in pace - Doug Lloyd

John, I remember, loved to help campers and staff design and paint distinctive paddles, and make certain at the same time that proper lettering and finish were done. My paddle still hangs proudly on a wall at home, as it has everywhere I have lived. It is my reference to the 14 summers I was at Wap. It helps me to remember those wonderful days on Canoe Lake and the incredible friendships made there. On my paddle are the large letters 'Wapomeo' running from the grip to the tip of the beavertail. On each side are the years painted in different colours starting with '43 and '44 at the top and '56 and '57 at the bottom. It is really quite effective and definitely very distinctive. On the reverse side is my name, 'Ann Lloyd'.

John and his first wife Joan worked together in the Wap Art Shop with Joan helping with painting and John making us all produce "our best art". As I was really much too interested in sailing and being on the water, I spent little time in the Art Shop, except for my precious paddle, which, thanks to John, now 60 years later, is still good as new.

Thank you, John - Ann (Lloyd) Plummer

Joan died in 1967. John and Joan had four daughters, all of whom were at Wapomeo: Susan, Becky, Jill and Jenny. John later married Pauline, and in a marvelous setting on north Dufferin Street in King Township, John and Pauline created their home "Glencroft". Here John practiced his distinctive art as an engraver and portraitist, with paint and brush.

In 1996, DA (formerly The Devil's Artisan)—A Journal of the Printing Arts, published "Between the Woods and Water: Reminiscences of an Illustrator" by John A. Hall. I am honoured that John gave me a copy of this treasure. In this booklet, John outlined his career in art and illustrated it with some of his delightful prints. The print on page 83, Fires of Friendship is one sample of John's fine work.

Don Lloyd

To Pauline, and Susan, Becky, Jill and Jenny, our condolences.

Many miss you, John. Thank you for touching our lives with such gentle creativity.

The Lloyds and all John's friends and admirers
from Wapomeo and Ahmek