KIRBY, James (Jim) Edward Kirby - February 14, 1925 - January 22, 2020
Jim was blessed with a long life and a good life.
He was a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and a great-great grandfather.
Jim had a strong sense of duty and work ethic.
He was optimistic and adventurous.
Jim loved good parties and bad puns. The two often went together.
Jim was born in Winnipeg. He lied about his age to enlist in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
Jim landed on the beaches at Normandy, from there he drove a Bren Gun Carrier through France, Belgium, and Holland into Germany.
At the end of the War, Jim returned home where he met a young woman, Matilda (Tillie), at a dance. Jim and Tillie were married on January 22, 1947.
They moved about in the early years from Winnipeg, to Hamilton to Thunder Bay to Oshawa and finally settled in Whitby with their two sons.
In his final years, Jim lived with Tillie in Etobicoke and lastly, Simcoe.
Jim built and operated a successful glass business.
He was an inventor and entrepreneur at heart.
Jim enjoyed the challenge of searching for, and often finding, a better way of doing things.
Grace Evangelical Church in Thunder Bay is a monument to Jim’s ingenuity.
There, he designed, manufactured, and installed the windows for the entire church with a new design that used plastic came instead of traditional lead. Jim and Tillie remained committed to each other during their 73 years of marriage.
They shared a love of family, food, travel, sun, entertaining and golf, while making each other laugh almost every day. They made lifelong friends wherever they called home.
The two spent 23 winters in Florida followed by 15 winters in Mexico.
Jim will be remembered with love by his wife Matilda, son Kerry (Nancy Eber), grandchildren, Kristi Hayes (Sean), Penny Kirby (Darwin Ramesar), Melanie Kirby ( Josh Czernwinski), great-grandchildren Amber Forget (Josh ), Emily Hayes, Abby Hayes, Vaun Ramesar, Asher Ramesar, great-great-grandchildren Joseph Forget, Harper Tillie Forget, extended family, and friends.
Jim is predeceased by his brother Lawrence, sister Alice and son Allan.
Cremation has taken place. Family and friends will celebrate Jim's life on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 344 in Toronto where Jim was a member.
Please drop in anytime between 1:00 p.m. and 4 p.m.
A poppy presentation service and eulogy to take place at 2:15.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Poppy Fund of the Royal Canadian Legion or to the Canadian Cancer Society. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 344 is located at 1395 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto.
Paid public parking is available on Net Drive. Net Drive is immediately east of the Legion.
