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V.L. (JIM) SHILLIDAY
Born: Jun 06, 1928
Date of Passing: Jul 04, 2014
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryV.L. (JIM) SHILLIDAY June 6, 1928 - July 4, 2014 Suddenly, after a brief illness, Jim Shilliday passed away at Stonewall Hospital in the early hours of July 4. He is survived by his wife Beth, sons Gregg (Ingeborg Boyens) and Charles (Paula Kelly), daughter Caron (Merv Hart), granddaughter Catherine, grandson Thomas (Catherine), great-grandson Joseph, and sisters Audrey Scott of Toronto and her family and Peggy Snidal of Ottawa and her family. Jim was born in Saskatoon, the youngest of five children, to Robert and Mary Ethel (Mountain) Shilliday. During the Depression his family returned to Winnipeg where his father, a CNR engineer, was able to find more work. Later Jim attended Gordon Bell High School, showing his love of adventure in his choice of summer jobs, often 'riding the rails' to work at isolated gold mines, a lumbercamp and a peat bog. He began studying architecture at the University of Manitoba but dropped out to help support his mother after his father's death. He worked at The Winnipeg Tribune as a copy boy and cub reporter before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1952. He and Beth were based in England, Germany and France. As a Cold War jet fighter pilot, Jim flew the F-86 Canadair Sabre with 410 Squadron. Following his air force service, he returned to the Tribune, eventually rising to the positions of city editor and associate editor before the newspaper was shut down in 1980. After a stint as executive assistant to provincial finance minister Brian Ransom, Jim became editor of The Real Estate News until taking early retirement. For several years he and Beth enjoyed travelling within Canada and the US. He wrote travel and op-ed articles for the Winnipeg Free Press and contributed to aviation magazines. Jim and Beth bought a hobby farm in Woodlands in the 1960s. Over the years, he built several additions on to the century farm house -- using, his wife joked, lots of ingenuity but no measuring tape -- as well as planting hundreds of trees, hauling rocks from the fields to build stone walls, raising horses, adopting abandoned dogs and cats, and digging a two-acre pond in the north quarter which still provides a home every spring to families of nesting Giant Canada geese. In 2001 Jim and Beth moved to Stonewall. Living in an apartment let Jim turn nearly undivided attention to two of his greatest interests, history and writing. In 2007 his biography of 'wheat king' Seager Wheeler was published by University of Regina Press and won the Alexander Isbister Prize for non-fiction. He then went on to write two well-received books on Canadian aviation. Jim Shilliday was a man of many parts who touched the lives of many. He will be sorely missed by his wife, family and friends. As a husband, a father, and later as a father-in-law, grandfather, and for a few months as a greatgrandfather, there was for each of us the knowledge that we were appreciated, respected and loved without question for who and what we were.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 07, 2014
Condolences & Memories (6 entries)
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Jim was city editor at The Trib when I went to work there as education reporter. He was a tough city editor, but fair, and I learned a lot from his encouragement and advice. He was a true newsman with fine news judgement. I was impressed and delighted with his book on the history on flight in Canada, and the last one about his brother who died in The Second World War. He should have lived to write more books. My sincere sympathy to his beloved Beth and their family. - Posted by: Jenni Mortin (Former Tribune reporter) on: Jul 12, 2014
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I was saddened to just hear about it, my wife saw a posting on facebook about Jim, he was a man of many stories and if I recall he use to work for the wpg tribune, and I have one of the last papers that came of the press that he gave to me. It is still wrapped in paper and protected. His family was always good to us kids from down the road my brother James and I spent many a day at the house in woodlands hunting in the back land for chicken and camping with Charles, which always turned out a little crazy, boy did we have fun. I loved just visiting in the old house and chatting at the kitchen table.. my how time goes by.. Jim and his wife did visit with me a few times in the sears home store as they were shopping for furniture..to all the Shilliday family my heart goes out to you all...he will be missed im sure but never forgotten.. Scott Petrowski - Posted by: Scott Petrowski (Neighbour in Woodlands and long time friend to his son Charles) on: Jul 11, 2014
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Jim was a valued member of the Stonewall Heritage Committee. I worked with him on a number of heritage projects. He will be sadly missed. Rest in peace Jim. I am blessed to have known you. - Posted by: Catherine Precourt (friend) on: Jul 09, 2014
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My Aunt Beth said, when my father passed away, that I was lucky to have had such a good person for my dad and good people live forever because everyone enjoys remembering them - that holds for Uncle Jim. Wonderful memories include such fun playing Christmas road hockey games, walks around the farm property, the books he and Aunt Beth gave me like Greenmantle and Cold Adventure (I appreciated them so much because they were for those older than I was), the way their living room "wallpaper" was shelves filled completely with books and Uncle Jim's interest in everything. I continue to enjoy all my memories of Uncle Jim - Posted by: Jim Scott (nephew) on: Jul 08, 2014
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My sincere sympathy to the Shilliday family in the sad loss of Jim. I treasure his "Memory of Sky" for in the writing he becomes a part of Canadian history and a shining example of all the young eagles who"topped the windswept space". Go with God, Jim. It has been an honor and a pleasure to have known you. - Posted by: Joyce Rose (friend) on: Jul 07, 2014
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Jim and I were childhood friends and I also attended Gordon Bell high school together. Jim was also an usher at our wedding. Five years ago he attending our 60th anniversary social. We also attended Jim's book signing at Polo Park. What a wonderful person. Love Dorothy and Doug Gardiner. - Posted by: Douglas Gardiner (friend from childhood) on: Jul 07, 2014