James Skene

February 5, 1934 - April 7, 2017

Jim passed away on April 7 at Birchwood as a result of complications following surgery. Jimmy is survived by his sister, Ruth and Doug Laidlaw and family (Tess Laidlaw and partner Mark Rombach, Cam and Andrea Laidlaw, and Ann and Darren Rattai). Also, sister Eileen and Henry Warkentin and family (Mike and Crystal Warkentin and Dave and Tracy Warkentin). He was predeceased by his wife Diane Skene, his mother Viola Montgomery Skene Byberg and his father Roy Skene.

Jim was a shy man, but he never opened his mouth unless he had something positive to say, or something he had carefully thought about. He led a very quiet life, was a very, very hard worker and a very dedicated student for all his trade degrees, until he met his wife, Diane. His world expanded as they travelled and made and maintained many friends. His greatest enjoyment in his later years was meeting with friends from the mill for coffee or lunch.

Jim started out on his own at 16, working at any job he could find. This included some time with the railroad, and long-term with Boise Cascade. He was Gas Fitter, a Steam Fitter and Construction Millwright. There was nothing Jim could not fix or repair, and he was prone to keeping items that would come in handy, or inventing some new way to repair. His special joy was his collection of cars: A Thunderbird, 2 Chevys, and a Cadillac. People often stopped by to check his cars and see if he wanted to part with any of them.

One of the first recorded Masons in Canada was a James Skene (from the Masons records). Roy Skene, his father was a Mason and Jim was a Mason and then Knights Templar with the Shriners after 50 years, along with his brother-in-law James Cowan. The purpose was to make a good man a better man. But Jim was a better man from the beginning as he watched over his mother and sisters until they all married. He loved family dinners and most often showed up with a pie or a Shriner Christmas cake.

A memory from Uncle Alex Beckett, when visiting a messy hunting location, with a very young Jimmy at his side, Jimmy said “What fur is dat der fur hanging on dat der fur for?” This always made us giggle, Jim had to know how and why everything worked. The roots of the family are deep in northwestern Ontario, with the Skenes, Becketts, McQuaids, Mongomerys.

Special thanks for those who kept in touch with Jim over the years. For those who did not, he missed you. Thanks to Tara Vandell and caring nurses and, Lianne Byram, Brian Campbell plus caring neighbours: the Greg Alcock family, the Metail family and the Wittmeier family.

Rest in peace now big brother.

Cremation has taken place and a family memorial will be held later.

Online condolences may be made at www.brownfuneralhomekenora.com

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