JAMES EDWARD MATTHEWS

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JAMES EDWARD MATTHEWS It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of James, on Saturday, September 15, 2007, with his son by his side, at the St. Boniface General Hospital in Winnipeg. James or Paddy Matthews was born on October 11, 1926 in Waterford, Ireland. He was predeceased by his parents, Owen and Margaret Matthews of Cochenour, Ontario and sister Catherine Mickey MacRae. James leaves to mourn his passing his children, Douglas (Nancy) Matthews of Toronto, ON, Shelley Blair (Jeff) of Hamilton, ON and Carla Matthews (Richard Davies) of Vancouver, BC. He will be deeply missed by his grand-children: Alexandra, Calum and Kerry Matthews, Emma Rose Blair and Kelsey, Amanda and Nicholas Davies. James will be fondly remembered by his former wife Arline Matthews. Uncle Paddy will also be missed by his many nieces and nephews and their families in British Columbia. Jim resided in Winnipeg for over 50 years. His early years were spent in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, and then briefly in British Columbia and Ottawa. He attended high school at Notre Dame College in Saskatchewan and St. Michael's College in Toronto. As a young man Jim resided in Red Lake, Ontario for over 15 years, where he met and married Arline MacKenzie in 1956. James always credited his parents for teaching him the value of kindness and compassion and the importance of a good education and strong work ethic. James sought adventure and exploration. He loved animals, fishing and the outdoors. He had a passion for cedar strip boating and canoeing and liked nothing better than exploring the northern wilderness through its rivers, islands and lake water, enjoying a hearty shore lunch, and revelling in the beauty of the sunsets. This same passion has been handed down to his children and grandchildren, much to his delight. James had a rewarding 40 year career in the field of mining and natural resources development. With a solid understanding of diamond drilling and underground mining, acquired first hand in the mines in Red Lake and Cochenour, James began his career with the Mine Equipment Company Limited responsible for the territory covering Northern Ontario, Western Canada and the Northwest Territories. Later, as the Director of Marketing and Development for Wajax Equipment Limited, James expanded the company's business into new natural resource sectors, working with various provincial governments on projects such as the Alberta TarSands, SaskPotash, major coal projects, pulp and paper, and major gold, silver and nickel industries across Canada. James was a person of high integrity and was well respected in the Canadian mining industry. He sat on the Mining Board for the Ministry of Energy and Mines for the Province of Manitoba, and received various professional accreditations and distinctions throughout his career including those from the Canadian Institute of Management, Society of Mining Engineers, American Institute of Mining Engineers and the Canadian institute for Mining and Metallurgy. James consulted professionally in his retirement years. Although a very private person, James met and made many lifelong friends He was a gentle, kind-hearted man with a great loyalty to friends and family. His soft, clever humour and warm smile will be fondly remembered. James loved keeping himself busy working with his hands, in the garden or around the house, always with a project on the go. As his children were growing up, James was pleased to have served on the Board of Balmoral Hall School and was an active member of the Winnipeg Winter Club. He was also a supporter and member of the PC Party of Manitoba for many years. Grandpa Matthews adored his grandchildren, providing unwavering support and encouragement for all their endeavours. He always delighted in hearing of their latest exploits and achievements and was so proud of each one of them. In recent years, James' failing health and increasing physical limitations presented many challenges for him. Throughout it all he maintained his unselfish and kind demeanour, as well as a remarkably tenacious spirit and faith. He had a strong will to live and fought bravely despite his pain, right to the end. That was simply our Dad. God Bless you, love and a hug. The family would like to thank the many doctors, nurses, and social workers from the St. Boniface Hospital, Misericordia Health Centre, Thomson House and The Charleswood Clinic, for their professional and compassionate care especially over this past year. The Roman Catholic Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Benedict's Monastery on Tuesday, September 18, 2007. A Funeral Liturgy of the Word will be held on Thursday, September 20 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church, 510 River Ave., Winnipeg with Reverend Monsignor Norman Chartrand officiating. A reception will immediately follow at the Holy Rosary Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Arthritis Foundation or Kidney Foundation of Manitoba. To place On-line condolences or to light a memorial candle in James' memory please go to www.mosaicfunerals.ca. Mosaic Funeral, Cremation and Cemetery Services 1839 Inkster Blvd. Winnipeg, MB. (204) 275-5555

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 19, 2007