It is with profound sadness and heartfelt love, the family of James Alfred Churcher announces his peaceful passing on May 21 at Marshall Gowland Manor after a courageous battle with dementia at the age of 86. While James accomplished much throughout his life, his greatest joy and proudest achievement was his family. He was the beloved husband of Grace Churcher with whom he shared 31 wonderful years of marriage and Barbara Churcher (1993) shared 24 years filled with laughter, adventure, and unconditional love. Together, they built a life rooted in kindness and strong family values. As a father to Douglas (Dan), Gerald (Antonella) and Karen (Barry), James was a constant source of wisdom, guidance, and support. He taught his children the value of hard work, kindness, humour.
His role as Grandpa to Evan, Claire and Daniel brought a whole new level of joy to his later years and his legacy will live on vividly through them. He was predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Geraldine Churcher, and his sisters Patricia Jackson and Helen Kennedy-Berry. Outside of his family, James was a talented “Mr. Fix-It” man. The toolbox was always open to help anyone fix anything that needed attention. After retirement, James could be found in his garage making tools for sheet metal workers and he sold them throughout Canada. In addition, he would make gadgets like shoehorns and other household materials like metal milk pitchers and cake lifters. He was a man of many talents and would strike up a conversation with anyone he met and loved talking “shop.” The family wishes to express their deepest, most heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Marshall Gowland Manor for the exceptional care you provided to James, over the last five + years. We want to extend a special thank you to all the staff on the Poppy neighbourhood who interacted with him daily.
Whether it was sharing a laugh with him, singing church songs, or patiently listening to his stories, your kindness did not go unnoticed. Knowing he was safe, respected, and genuinely cared for gave our family immense peace of mind. Visitation will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, 1576 London Line, Sarnia. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Smith Funeral Home. Interment to follow in Resurrection Cemetery.
Visitation
Smith Funeral Home – London Line Chapel
1576 London Line
Sarnia, Ontario
N7T 7H2
May 25th, 2026 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Visitation
Smith Funeral Home – London Line Chapel
1576 London Line
Sarnia, Ontario
N7T 7H2
May 25th, 2026 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Funeral Service
Smith Funeral Home – London Line Chapel
1576 London Line
Sarnia, Ontario
N7T 7H2
May 26th, 2026 11:00 am
