John "Colin" Barkley MacKinnon
1965-2026
John Colin Barkley MacKinnon was just days away from his 61st birthday when he passed away on January 15, 2026. On his last day, and in the days leading to it, Colin was surrounded by his most favourite people, listening to his favourite AC/DC songs.
Born on January 18, 1965, in Sydney Nova Scotia, Colin spent his life mastering many roles: devoted husband, proud father, loyal brother, legendary uncle, dad-joke master, military brother, and consistently defeated Catan player.
Colin’s sense of humour was his signature. He believed every situation could be improved with a sarcastic remark or dad joke, whether you wanted one or not. While Colin was obsessive about keeping "his" warehouse in top shape, he notoriously had the messiest desk in all of Aldershot. But whether you rolled your eyes at his jokes, teased him about his desk, or ruthlessly stole his longest road in Catan, he was a man who worked hard and loved fiercely.
He leaves behind his wife Valerie, who rolled her eyes the hardest and who he loved the most; his children Hailey, Kristopher and Alexander, who inherited his wit, his handiness, and his smarts (not necessarily in that order); his siblings DJ, Kathy and Rob (Tammy) who can confirm he was "one in a million"; his sister-in-law Suzanne, obituary author and Catan port-stealer; nieces and nephews who adored him: Jonathan, Natacha, Samantha, EmmaLee, Bobby, Nora, Maelle, Thomas, Aubrie, and Easton. He also leaves behind an army of family and friends in Cape Breton, Kentville, and around the world, including the countless buddies he met during his time in the army reserve. Unfortunately, he also leaves behind an unmet demand for next week’s lottery numbers, which he repeatedly asked for when anyone asked if he needed anything.
As Colin left us surrounded by his loved ones, he also felt the presence of those who left before him (presumably waiting with a Keith’s in hand): his mom Mary, his dad Donald "Dee", his brother Glenn and his mother-in-law Mary.
In honour of Colin, the family encourages everyone to tell a dad joke today. Bonus points if it makes someone sigh deeply and reconsider their life choices.
A celebration of his life will be held on what would have been Colin’s 61st birthday: January 18, 2026, at the Borden Hall Combined Mess at Camp Aldershot from 3pm to 6pm. All are welcome. Come as you are and please be prepared to raise a toast and bring your favourite memory and your best (or worst) joke.
He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever the reigning champion of making us laugh when we least expected it. And if you’ve reached this point and don’t appreciate Colin’s sense of humour we’ll say what he would have said: "at least you’re pretty."
