April 13, 2003 - July 4, 2018
Jack Thomas Stroud, age 15, of South Surrey, died on July 4, 2018 as a result of a tragic accident. Jack was born on April 13, 2003, in White Rock, the son of Andrew and Robyn (O'Brien) Stroud. He attended Chantrell Elementary School, Sycamore Canyon Elementary in Dos Vientos, California, Newbury Park High School, in Thousand Oaks, California, and Elgin Park Secondary School.
Jack was a gifted athlete with the rare combination of size, strength and speed. He began training in the martial arts from the age of two and a half, and he was the youngest-ever member of the Seikido Martial Arts Federation of Canada. Jack received his junior black belt at the age of 12, an unprecedented achievement. He was a member of the Five Rings Seikido Club from 2005 to 2016.
When he was at Chantrell Elementary, Jack was the anchor of the track and field team, and he broke records for shotput. He played Ultimate frisbee, basketball, and volleyball. As a teen, Jack played for Bayside Sharks Rugby Team, Newbury Park Panthers American Football Team, Newbury Park Panthers Wrestling Team, and Elgin Park Secondary Rugby team.
In 2016, while playing with the Panthers community football team as a defensive lineman, Jack helped the team have an undefeated season and they went on to win the Super Bowl. Jack was selected to play the All-Star game for the league and then selected to represent Southern California on the State All-Star team. His coach described him as a hard worker who always wanted to do his very best for his coaches, teammates, and his adopted city.
As a freshman at Newbury Park, Jack was immediately recruited onto the wrestling team by Coach Kilbane, and with Jack on the team Newbury Park won the Marmonte League cup for the first time in 23 years. Although Jack was only a freshman, he competed at the Varsity level in wrestling.
Just this past year, Jack took on the position of Prop of the Elgin Park Secondary Junior Rugby team, and then he joined his big brother Luke on the Elgin Park Senior Rugby team, where he helped his teammates take fourth place in their division at the BC Provincial Rugby Championships.
Jack's first love was sports, but he worked just as hard at academics. He shone under the the special attention he was given by his teachers in California, where he won an achievement award in Math. Jack was always a favourite student for his respectful and hardworking attitude.
Jack is survived by his parents Andrew and Robyn and his brothers Luke Maurice, a first year student at the University of British Columbia, and Liam Heath, still at home. He also leaves behind his brothers Adam and Matthew Stroud of the United Kingdom.
Jack is survived by his maternal grandmother, Doris Mabel (Henry) O'Brien, also of South Surrey, and his paternal grandparents, Marguerite (Buckmaster) and Michael Stroud of Farnham Essex, United Kingdom. Jack also leaves his aunt Darcy (O'Brien) Schnurr, uncle Grant Schnurr, and cousins Rachel and Jason Schnurr, aunt Alyson (Stroud) Goddard, uncle David Goddard, and cousins Michael and Amy Goddard.
Jack was predeceased by his treasured grandfather, Maurice O'Brien, and his brother Max Robyn Stroud. He leaves behind a wide circle of aunts, uncles and cousins in the Andrews, Griffiths, and Buckmaster families in the UK, and an enormous number of close friends in California and here at home.
A Service will be held for Jack at Peace Portal Alliance Church, 15128 27B, South Surrey, on July 18th, 11 am, and the family has asked that everyone who loved Jack to please attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to the Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue, Station 5, Crescent Beach. Donations can be made online for individual or corporate donations at rcmsar5.ca, or through the Semiahmoo Peninsula Marine Rescue Society, a registered non-profit organization.
Donations in Jack's name can also be mailed or dropped off at the office at Elgin Park Secondary School, 13484 24th Avenue, Surrey, BC, V4A 9V2, for a memorial fund in Jack's name.
The family thanks the community for the outpouring of love and support, and requests that in Jack's memory you be kind to one another.