Obituary of Dr. John Christopher Acker

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful sailing away of Dr. John Christopher Acker on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

John was born on January 29, 1939 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the son of Dr. J. C. Acker, Orthopaedic Surgeon, and Dorothy (née Scriven).

He is survived by his wife Rosalee (née Richard); his five children: Jennifer (Freddy) Claro, Christopher Acker, Stephanie (the late Peter) Hoellwarth, Heidi (Kevin) White, and Wendi (Thumper) McDonald; ten wonderful grandchildren: Brandon and Tristan Claro, Jessica (Devan) Kelly and Jenny Acker, Emilee and Sarah Hoellwarth, Jack and Nicholas White, and Oliver and Evelyn McDonald; one great-grandchild, Myles Kelly, as well as his nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by one sister, Jean (Allan) Frederick and is survived by two sisters-in-law, Patricia (Donald) Farmer and Susan (Barrie) Baker.

John grew up in Halifax and attended Dalhousie University, where he received his B.Sc. in 1960, followed by his M.D. in 1965.

After medical school, John practiced family medicine in Fredericton, N.B., for four years until his “genetic urge” convinced him to return to Halifax where he obtained his Fellowship in Orthopaedic Surgery in 1974.

Following this, John and his family spent six months in Berne, Switzerland and Woking, England, completing a postgraduate fellowship.  They then settled in Saint John, N.B. where he spent the next 40 years practicing orthopaedic surgery.

John was the pioneer for arthroscopic surgery in New Brunswick and is credited with performing the province’s first total knee replacement.  John also founded the first Sports Medicine Clinic in New Brunswick and was a founding member of the Canadian Sports Medicine Society.

In addition to John’s career as a surgeon, he also held a variety of roles and memberships within local and national organizations including: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, The Canadian Orthopaedic Association, The New Brunswick Orthopaedic Association, The N.B. Medical Society, The N.B. College of Physicians and Surgeons, The Atlantic Provinces Orthopaedic Society, Yabsley Orthopaedic Club (founding member), Saint John Environmental Committee (Chairman), The Saint John Horticultural Society, Lily Lake Pavillion (Board Member), and the Cherry Brook Zoo.

In his retirement, John was also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Dalhousie University, tutoring medical students in musculoskeletal anatomy.

Throughout his life, John was also known as an avid sailor, holding memberships at the R.K.Y.C. and R.Y.C.  He sailed his “yacht” all over the Saint John and Kennebecasis Rivers as well as the Bay of Fundy and the coast of Maine. He also circumnavigated mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.  John explored several of the Caribbean Islands aboard Stopp Knot, a co-owned vessel berthed in St. Lucia and the British Virgin Islands.

John loved his little piece of heaven on Mather’s Island. He was one of the founders of the Mathers Island Company and served as president. He built a beautiful camp there to share with his family.

Those who knew John also knew his love of music which he described as his “relaxant”.  As a keen musician himself, he was a founding member of “The Cool Chicks and Ugly Doc-lings”.  He also played with “The Down East Fiddlers”, performing for the residents and staff of various nursing and assisted-living homes in southern New Brunswick.  In retirement, John also pursued his love of sharing music by becoming a campus D. J., hosting a weekly Folk & Blues program on the UNBSJ radio station, CFMH.

John will be sadly missed by his family and many friends as he has “sailed away for good”.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John (506-634-7424) where visitation will take place on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM.  A funeral service will be held from St. Paul’s Anglican Church (4 Church Avenue, Rothesay) on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM.  For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed and can be viewed by visiting John’s obituary on the Brenan’s website. 

It was John’s wish that any memorial tributes be made in the form of charitable donations to MS Canada or to the Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick.