The entire Fleming family was involved in setting up the fund in John’s memory. Parents George and Janet, brother Nick of Salmon Arm, brother Mark of Calgary and half brothers Nathan of St. Catherines, Ontario and Juan of Philadelphia.
How did John become known as “Brother John” to all of Salmon Arm? Nick Fleming, John’s youngest brother, and friend Alton Gowen lived together when they were 19 and 20 years old. Nick introduced John to Alton as my “brother John” and the moniker became John’s brand.
John’s dad George grew up in Salmon Arm. His mom Janet came from England in 1973, they met in New York then lived in Salmon Arm from 1973 to 1981 where John was born on January 2, 1976. The family moved to Surrey where John graduated from high school then worked as a barber in Steveston.
In 2000 John was diagnosed with a pituitary tumour that was removed in New Westminster, but there was a bleed and an aneurism. Cranial surgery in 2001 left some handicap with John unable to cut hair because of poor eyesight. John lived on disability with his parents for ten years and gradually improved. In 2007 the family moved to Salmon Arm where John taught himself to play guitar and with the support of his friends was able to work and play in a band. He could often be found enjoying a cup of coffee on Alton’s porch with his friends.
With local musician Darrin Herting, John and Alton formed the band “Seal Skull Hammer”. They had read something about primitive tools, for example using a seal skull as a hammer and came up with the unusual name. They tried to use the most basic hand made instruments–anything found that could produce a sound. The gutbucket made by Darrin was an old washtub, broom handle and weed whipper cable–it was their one-stringed upright bass. John also played harmonica, sang and acted as the band’s MC. With his good ear for accents he could imitate almost anyone and entertained the audience with stories that he acted out. The band loved to entertain; they recorded two CDs and had a good following.
John’s other passion was art–he loved to make art and was gifted in drawing. His works can be found in many homes in the area. John had friends in every walk of life and was well known to the ‘characters’ around town. He was also a great reader and worked at the Book Nook where seniors, looking for second-hand books, loved him. He knew the location of every book and, because of his love for music, knew every record in the store. Children loved John because he always dressed up as a Pirate for the annual Downtown Halloween Trail.
John’s unexplainable symptoms at the end of 2019 showed an inoperable, malignant brain tumour–he became completely paralyzed within a month. He needed a power chair so his music friends organized the ‘Johnny Skull Variety Show’ as a fundraiser at the United Church. The money raised was given to John’s parents who set up Go Fund Me “Love for Brother John”.
After John’s death on his 44 th birthday on January 2, 2020, a big wake and funeral was held attended by his music buddies and his community. At John’s death $12,000 was still left in the “Love for Brother John” fund. The family donated $5000 to the Shuswap Hospital Foundation for palliative care in honour of the nurses and workers who knew John and his concerts. John had composed a song “ blackbird” that Darrin performed at the funeral–it can be heard in the soundtrack for the photos of John shown at the funeral.
Nick Fleming found out about the Shuswap Community Foundation and the family established the “Brother John Fleming Memorial Fund” as a bursary for a high school student wishing to continue studies in music or fine arts. This bursary would honour John’s love for all the arts.
John’s death marked the end of the band. But because Covid had closed everything down just after John’s funeral, his friends felt the need for a closure concert. In November 2022, Darrin, Alton and James (who had joined the band as a fourth member) organized a final concert with the profits going to the “Brother John Fleming Memorial Fund”. The concert was a great success and along with donations from family and friends brought the fund to over $10,000 allowing it to start paying out in 2024. The band donated the remaining CD’s to the Foundation to be given to each bursary recipient. With enough CD’s for 100 years, the first 100 years of ‘in perpetuity’ are covered! Brother John’s love and music will live on.
