James McCUTCHEON

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McCUTCHEON: James (Jim) Clarke McCutcheon died February 12, 2015 of pneumonia, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on February 4. Jim was born on May 1, 1935, the forth of six children, to Mildred and Lyle McCutcheon of Homewood. He attended a one-room school in Homewood, and high school in Carman. After completing grade 11, Jim pursued a Diploma of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba graduating in 1955. As a young man, Jim worked as a fireman for the C.N.R.; was employed by Hydraulic Engineering (forerunner of Versatile Equipment); and even helped out at Security Storage, in order to obtain first his private pilot’s license, then his commercial license, before flying a bush plane in northern Manitoba for Lamb Airways at The Pas. He married Frances Jean Kingdon of Basswood in 1959, and the couple began a small but successful certified seed farm on the home quarter of Robert McCutcheon, his grandfather. Jim was the father of three children Gaylene, Robert Ian and Allen Glen. He served many roles in the community: choir member and steward of both Homewood and Carman United churches, board member of Homewood Co-op and Dufferin Credit Union, and on the Funding Committee for the Carman Active Living Centre. All his life, Jim enjoyed solving problems, and sought out challenges, such as a seeding tool for zero tillage farming. Alas, he had to admit defeat to making a double disc opener which would work in all soil conditions – time to hand over the problem to Clare Coburn of Atom Jet for engineering and production of openers which placed the seed on a firm seed bed and that farmers could use on their present equipment. Jim could now spend his time and energy sharing his experiences with zero till farming to all farmers and department extension people by way of on-farm tours and by making himself available for those interested in good conservation of the land. He was inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2002. Jim enjoyed reading about psychology, nutrition and health, and often exhorted his family and friends to take Vitamin D. He was a rather quiet man, but made friends in many walks of life, and found respect among his peers. He leaves to mourn his wife , Frances and his daughter Gaylene (Mark, Sam and Luke), as well as his grandson, Robert. Jim also leaves his sisters Joyce (Fred), Marion (Fraser) and Deanna (Wilf), and brothers Arnold (Ilace) and David, and well as his sisters in-law Betty (Alf), and Edith (Albert), and brothers in-law Charlie (Joan), Jim (Marg), Ray (Doreen), Ron (Gaileen), and sister in-law Karen.We miss you, Jim, but you will live forever in our hearts. Love you always. The Family.Doyle’s Funeral Chapel in care of arrangements. www.doylesfuneralchapel.com

As published in Brandon Sun on Mar 28, 2015