John Johnston (@johnvecchio) passed away on the 26 August with his family at his side. John had been seriously ill over a year, but had been determined to keep living his life to the full and was busy travelling around Europe and enjoying his passion for opera until the final few weeks of his life. He leaves behind a brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews who will all miss him greatly.

Fifty years ago, travelling through Europe as a young man, John first developed his passion for opera alongside his love of languages, European civilisation and commitment to internationalism. His family, being somewhat philistine in our cultural tastes by comparison, have had only a limited insight into the life John lived in operatic circles. It has, therefore, been extremely moving for us to read on Twitter the kind and generous comments of John’s many friends and followers. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to read your sentiments and memories, and they have shown us a side of John we sadly didn’t know enough about in his life time.

John was a great supporter of the NHS, and during the last weeks of his life, he and his family were immensely grateful for the care and support he received from the staff of the Kennaway Ward at Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton. In keeping with his wishes, John’s family will not be holding a public funeral. Instead, we would invite you to pay tribute to John by continuing to enjoy the music he loved so much. For those that wish to make a donation, John’s family would welcome donations to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity which does such important work for those struggling with and fighting against cancer.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.