Obituary for James Obert Simes

Our Dad was born in Tadmore, Saskatchewan to Norwegian and Irish immigrants from America. James to his family and Jim to his friends, we always knew his home as Sturgis. Westley and Katie had eight children; Dad is survived by his sister Floydey and pre-deceased by siblings Laurence, Leonard, Betty, Marie, Bill and Kelly. He followed his oldest brother into the Armed Service and learned his trade in the Royal Canadian Navy after the Second World War. He worked for the Canadian National Railway as an operator and dispatcher throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba; Canora, where he met and married his wife Sonia Hrynkiw and had a daughter Patricia Yvonne, Wadena where they had a son David Michael, Dauphin and The Pas, Manitoba.

Mom and Dad were avid travellers and we visited her sister Hope in Dawson City, Yukon one summer, then Prince Edward Island another trip and finally Long Beach on Vancouver Island, all with Dad at the wheel and camper trailer pulled behind. Dad built a house with his father-in-law Metro in Yorkton and then built our cabin at Rocky Lake with David. We came of age at our cabin at Crystal Lake, another build, and spent many summers there golfing and water skiing with Jim taking his turn with the other dads driving the boat once around the lake or twice around the bay. Only miles from where they were born, Jim and Sonia loved getting together summers with lifelong friends and the other Lake Simes' at Crystal Lake. He was active in Kinsmen and K-40's service projects in Dauphin and The Pas and after retiring from CNR, enjoyed decades of months long winter visits to Bucerias near Puerto Vallarta where he would walk into town almost every day for fresh oysters, shrimp and produce. They hosted ex-pats from Crystal and The Pas and had a whole other set of Mexican friends who returned there to Los Picos every year.

Yorkton Crossing was their last home and Jim missed Sonia, his wife of 58 years, every day after she passed away. He enjoyed the fellowship of Jim Fustey, Tom Deroches and Andy Mathuik at meals every day. These gentlemen and his oldest friend Ed Gogol are his Honorary Pall Bearers. He is survived by many nieces and nephews and one grandchild Mollie Jordan along with her Saumier siblings. His friends and family miss him dearly and will remember him always. Rest in Peace, Jim.

In keeping with family wishes, cremation will take place and a private family interment will be held at a later date.

The Pas Minor Hockey Association
Box 794, The Pas MB R9A 1K8

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