It is with great sadness we announce the sudden passing of James Morgan. He passed away peacefully at Yaletown House in Vancouver from pneumonia and heart issues. He leaves behind his daughter Janice Rafael, son-in-law David Rafael, and his nieces, great-nieces, nephews and great-nephews.
James was born in Argyll by Dunoon, Scotland. He left home at 15 years of age to start his apprenticeship. He built and retrofitted airplanes and torpedoes in Scotland during and after World War II and attended night school to successfully become a machinist.
James was exempt from serving in the military due to hearing loss caused by an unsuccessful mastoid surgery as a child.
In his free time, James played in the Scottish Football Association for the Torpedo Factory at Greenock and the Milton Rovers in Dunoon. He immigrated to Canada in 1948, on a transatlantic cargo freighter, leaving from Liverpool in September, travelling through the Panama Canal and arriving in Vancouver. There he held several jobs, including building ski trams. He also played soccer for the New Westminster Royals from 1948 to 1951. James met Jessie McDonald in Vancouver.
In 1951, James had a job offer with the Seattle Boeing company, but he chose to relocate instead to Powell River to work as a machinist at MacMillan Bloedel mill. Several months later, Jessie and James married and settled down in Powell River, where they built their own house. Jim cut down the trees on the lot and sold them for money to pour the foundation.
Later, Jim also built his own boat in his backyard. He worked in the pulp and paper mill for 38 years. During this time, James also held down several second jobs, including: owning and running a cement company in Cranberry; clearing and subdividing properties; and building, owning and managing various commercial and residential rental properties.
After retiring from the mill, James started a second career running an engraving and rubber stamp company from which he retired at age 78 years. He was a dedicated and hard worker, but he always found time for his family, providing much love, joy and support.
James also had a love of and (fortunately) a good eye for the stock market, and that was his favourite hobby. He curled after he moved to Powell River and played badminton and tennis through his late 50s/early 60s, and then turned to walking three miles, five days a week, to keep in shape. James also loved playing cribbage, until his carpal tunnel got the best of his hands.
He enjoyed travelling the world with his wife Jessie, including visiting New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii on the cruise ship Oriana, during a six-month vacation in 1963/64 (which made the local newspaper), and they travelled throughout Europe for three months in 1966. They also visited the Cook Islands, Panama Canal, Cuba, Mexico, Hawaii, and many other USA locations, the UK, Scotland and all of Canada.
After Jessie’s death, James continued his travels throughout Mexico, USA, Central America, South America, the UK, Scotland, Russia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Cape Verde Islands, Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands and Madeira with his daughter Janice and son-in-law David. His most memorable vacation was in 2011/12, a four-month (112 day) Grand World Voyage on Holland America, with his best friend. Jimmy turned 88 on that around-the-world cruise.
Although James enjoyed travelling to places far and near, he loved living in Powell River, finding striking resemblances between its natural environment and that of his homeland of Scotland.
Jim will be fondly missed by his family and friends, whose lives were richer for knowing him and he will be remembered for his infectious smile and positive outlook. He was predeceased by his wife of 58 years Jessie Morgan; his parents Catherine and James Morgan; his brother George Morgan and sister Margaret Elliott, and his two in-laws.
The family mourned his loss at the funeral home and a private celebration of life (due to COVID-19) will be held at Yaletown House for residents and staff in January. James wished that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Powell River Hospital Foundation or Canadian Cancer Society in his name.
James requested to be cremated, with his ashes to be sprinkled at a later date. The family wants to thank the staff, volunteers and residents at Yaletown House; Lynn Valley Care Centre and Westerleigh Parc for looking after Dad, looking out for him and making friends with him. Also a big thanks to his doctors Dr. Tran, GP; Dr Nabi, ENT, Dr. Mackie, dentist, and Dr. Merkur, ophthalmologist, who formed part of Dad’s care team, some for over a decade.
