John McKeachie Obituary, Death – The British Columbia sports and broadcasting communities are mourning the passing of John McKeachie, a longtime Vancouver sportscaster whose four-decade career made him a familiar and respected voice to generations of sports fans.
McKeachie was 82 years old. News of his death was shared by longtime colleague Bernie Pascall, who remembered him as a popular and valuable member of the BCTV Sports team and extended condolences to McKeachie’s wife, Sandi, and his daughters.
His passing marks the loss of a prominent figure from an important era in Vancouver sports broadcasting.
Born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, McKeachie built a broadcasting career that spanned approximately 40 years.
A major chapter of that career came at BCTV, where he served as a sports anchor for 27 years, from 1973 to 1999.
During that time, McKeachie became a recognizable presence in British Columbia households, covering some of the province’s most important sporting stories and helping bring local teams and athletes to television audiences.
His longevity in broadcasting reflected both his knowledge of sports and his ability to connect with viewers.
McKeachie’s work extended beyond traditional sports anchoring.
He served as an on-air host and colour commentator for broadcasts involving the Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Those roles placed him close to two of Vancouver’s most prominent professional sports teams and allowed him to share his knowledge and perspective with fans following their seasons.
For viewers who grew up watching Vancouver sports during his years on television, McKeachie’s voice and presence became part of the experience of following local teams.
McKeachie’s broadcasting career also included a notable connection with CBC Vancouver’s Hockey Night in Canada programming.
From 1998 to 2000, he hosted the post-game program “McKeachie’s Hockey Talk.”
The program provided another platform for McKeachie to discuss hockey and engage with the sport’s passionate following in British Columbia.
His work in hockey broadcasting further established him as one of Vancouver’s recognizable sports media personalities.
McKeachie’s influence in sports media was not limited to television.
He also wrote a weekly sports column for The Province newspaper from 1997 to 2000.
The transition between broadcasting and sports writing allowed him to offer audiences his perspective through another medium, further demonstrating the breadth of his experience as a sports journalist.
His work across television and print reflected a career dedicated to telling sports stories and connecting audiences with the teams and athletes they followed.
News of McKeachie’s passing was announced by longtime colleague Bernie Pascall, who expressed shock at the loss.
Pascall remembered McKeachie as a valued member of the BCTV Sports staff and extended his deepest condolences to McKeachie’s wife, Sandi, and his daughters.
Such tributes reflect the professional relationships McKeachie developed during decades spent working in Vancouver’s sports media community.
For colleagues who shared newsrooms, broadcasts, and sporting events with him, his death represents the loss of a familiar and respected figure.
John McKeachie’s career covered a significant period in the history of sports broadcasting in Vancouver.
Beginning his long television tenure in the 1970s, he remained part of the sports media landscape through the 1980s and 1990s and continued working in hockey broadcasting and sports journalism around the turn of the century.
Across those decades, he witnessed and reported on countless sporting moments while becoming part of the memories of the fans who watched and listened.
His legacy is therefore connected not only to the programs and organizations where he worked, but also to the generations of viewers who came to know him through his coverage.
McKeachie’s passing leaves behind a career defined by dedication to sports journalism and broadcasting.
From BCTV to Canucks and Whitecaps broadcasts, from CBC Vancouver’s hockey programming to his work with The Province, his professional life was deeply connected to the Vancouver sports community.
He was a broadcaster during an era when local sports personalities often became trusted and familiar figures in viewers’ lives. McKeachie was one of those voices.
His death brings an end to a remarkable broadcasting journey that lasted four decades.
John McKeachie will be remembered as one of Vancouver’s beloved sports broadcasters, a journalist who devoted much of his life to covering the sports and teams that mattered to British Columbia audiences.
As family, friends, former colleagues, and sports fans mourn his passing, his contributions to Vancouver’s sports media history will remain part of his enduring legacy.
May his wife Sandi, his daughters, family, friends, former colleagues, and everyone who knew and admired him find comfort in the memories of his life and remarkable career.
