March On! ...the history of the
Toronto Optimists Drum & Bugle Corps
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
John Shearer
Corps: Toronto Region Scout Band, Bantam Optimists, Toronto Optimists, Optimists Alumni
October 3, 1944 – December 12, 2024
John had been a member of the Toronto Region Scout Band before joining the Bantam Optimists. Later, both of his brothers, Rick and Doug, followed him to the Bantams. John was the first of the three to move to the Junior Corps and, again, Rick and Doug joined him there. John played soprano until he aged out. Because John loved the corps, he wanted to help out so he volunteered as the corps' Equipment Manager.
By the time that the Alumni Corps began, Doug had passed; however, both John and Rick signed up. John played soprano then, when the corps got altos, he switched to alto. When the corps got 3-valve horns, John moved to mellophone. He stayed with the alumni corps until he could no longer march.
Below is a quote that John's brother, Rick, posted on Facebook. It paints a beautiful, and accurate, picture of John.
John and Rick Shearer (1963)
Yesterday I lost my big Brother and best friend, a gentle man with a heart of gold who would bend over backward to help anyone. He dedicated his life to his family, especially his son Richard. He kept in touch with his close friends that he has known from high school, scouts and the Drum Corps and still enjoyed his Friday breakfasts with retired coworkers. His early days were spent in the senior band in school, then with Toronto Optimists Drum and Bugle Corps and, later on, with the Optimists Alumni Corps. John will be truly missed by his wife, Barb, his family and his friends. Rest in peace.
John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . We Remember!