JAMES ALEXANDER CHRISTIE

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JAMES ALEXANDER CHRISTIE Jim Christie passed away peacefully on May 19, 2003 at Thorvaldsons Care Centre. He was predeceased by his first wife Muriel (51 years), his third wife Hazel, and his son-in-law Kenneth Pearce. He is survived by his daughter Ruth of Winnipeg, his son Ron of Altona, his grand-children Wray (Barb), Diane (Glenn), Keith (Eleanor), Sherry, Glen (Jackie), Holly (Eric), and great-grandchildren, Jessica and Kowen Pearce, Liz and Sara Allen, Ashley and Kyle Pearce, Jade and Kelly Pearce, and Wolfe von Graevenitz. Jim was born in Kincardineshire, Scotland, arriving in Manitoba at 14 months of age. He was raised in Manitoba, residing for most of his life in Winnipeg. He was a notably skilled welder, working as foreman of the welding shop at TransCanada Airlines (Air Canada) for over 33 years. Upon retirement, he and Muriel moved to Vancouver Island, where he remained for 27 years until his return to Winnipeg in 1989. Granddad loved the outdoors, camping and fishing throughout Manitoba and western Canada - but Muriel won all the fishing trophies! He was particularly enamoured with the mountains of British Columbia, and was astonished and dismayed that his family refused to follow him to his chosen paradise. He also enjoyed puttering around the house and garden. Upon returning to Winnipeg, he was charmed when 3 year old Sara requested "trees," as she termed her favourite broccoli. Delighting in wordplay, the "Broccoli Patch" became his term for the tree filled view of Woodhaven that he enjoyed from his apartment in the Courts of St. James. Jim experienced remarkably good health until November 2002, when he suffered his first totally unexpected heart attack. He then relocated to Thorvaldsons Care Centre. Although he missed his buddies in the Courts Mall, he quickly proclaimed that Thorvaldsons was now the "right place to be" because the staff were always "so smiley that it makes it easy for you to smile back." Jim displayed unfailing good humour and grace through five months of precipitously failing health and numerous trips to the Emergency Departments of Grace and then St. Boniface Hospitals. The entire family greatly appreciates the superb team at Thorvaldsons who make this care centre such a homey, caring place, with very special thanks to Shirley for her extraordinary thoughtfulness and concern, and to Herman Thorvaldson for persisting to make this outstanding care centre possible. A memorial service will be held Monday, May 26 at 3:00 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 603 Wellington Cres. KNYSH FUNERAL CHAPEL, 582-0973

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 24, 2003