JEAN ELIZABETH JAMES

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JEAN ELIZABETH JAMES (nee SMITH) June 21, 1923 - December 22, 2014 On December 22, 2014, our dear mother, passed away. Jean was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Somer, and her sister Thelma, (London, England). She is survived by her children Heather, David (Losaline) (NZ), Wendy (Bernard) (Ottawa), Keith (Lori). She will be greatly missed by her grandchildren, Saul, Lewis, Julie (Dona), Samuel, Rachel Anne (Shlomo), Sidney, Hannah and Jillian, and great- grandchildren, Benjamin, Carmel and Ednah. She will also be missed by her daughter-in-law Marcelle Mollot, as well as her nieces Carol Chinn (NYC), Marion Fleming (England), and cousin Audrey Emmanuel and families. Mum was a strong woman, as anyone who met her knows. She was hard-working, self-disciplined, demanding of herself and others. She was a loyal friend, a great cook, always punctual, thorough, organized and generous. An avid reader, all through her life she read voraciously. Her vast memories for the past generations were vivid. There is a legacy of photographs from the period of 1920 to 1960 that show the transition of living and leaving the old country and the English way of life to building of a new life and family in Manitoba. Mum was born in London, England to Samuel and Rebecca Smith. She attended Malvern Girls School until her education was disrupted by the Second World War. It was during these early days, that Rebecca, along with Jean and Thelma (with child) were sent to Canada to escape the bombing in London. They returned to England and Jean proudly served in the Woman's Auxiliary within the Film Unit, working directly with Edward G. Robinson. Her father's many Canadian connections led to him to welcome many Canadian servicemen including, Somer James. Jean and Somer married in 1945 and moved to Canada, settling in Winnipeg and raising four children. Mum left an indelible mark on her children and grandchildren, encouraging them to be community minded, studious, and open to all cultures and creeds. She supported the major arts groups in Winnipeg, including the Symphony, Ballet and Theatre. Some of her community achievements include being President of the Winnipeg branch of the National Council of Jewish Women, Parliamentarian for the National Council, Treasurer for the creation of the Gwen Sector Living Centre. She also volunteered for many organizations, taking great pleasure in teaching English as a second language to newcomers. For over 60 years, she played bridge with her regular groups. Special thanks to her long-time friend Mildred Devins and her family. The family would like to thank the staff at the Simkin Centre for their care and compassion. In keeping with Mum's wishes, cremation has taken place and no service will be held. The family will gather in the summer of 2015 to celebrate Jean's life and legacy. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the DASCH Foundation Inc. may be made in her name.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 27, 2014