Obituary of George Gibbs James

George JAMES
December 14, 1934 – September 4, 2019

George Gibbs James passed away peacefully with his family at his side on September 4, 2019 at St. Paul’s Hospital, at the age of 84. He is survived by his daughter Phoebe Cline, her husband Randy, and their children Nolan (Katia), Alyssa (Shane), Kara (Josh) and daughter Scarlett, and Braden; and his daughter Megan Daverne, her husband Doug, and their children Lauren, Andrew, Stephen and Michael. George was predeceased by his wife, Phyllis, and parents, John and Annabelle James. Born on December 14, 1934, in Renfrew, Scotland, he lived in Scotland until he and his parents emigrated to Winnipeg in 1947. During his teen years, George developed a keen interest in flying, participating in Air Cadets for 4 years and qualifying for his Private Pilot’s License at the age of 17. After a brief stint with the Air Force, George received his Commercial Pilot’s License and was employed with Trans Canada Airlines as a pilot from 1956 through 1959. He then moved on to a new career, working with his parents in their British car dealership, James Service Ltd. located in Saskatoon. It was through the car business that he met the love of his life, Phyllis Hudson, whom he married in 1963. They had two children, Phoebe and Megan. George and Phyllis were happily married for 51 years before Phyllis passed away in 2014. George was an active member of the Saskatoon Sports Car Club, participating in many different events such as rallies, hill climbs, track racing and ice racing. He convocated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1973 and a Master of Arts in Political Science in 1975, launching him into a new career. The family moved to Kingston, Ontario for two years while George completed the course work for his Ph.D. at Queens University. Upon returning to Saskatoon, he worked at the U. of S. as a sessional lecturer and for the Extension Department as a credit and non-credit course administrator. It was during this time that he developed an enduring interest in continuing education for seniors, and became very active in this field. He served on many boards and committees, including the Saskatoon Council on Aging, until his passing. George enjoyed spending time outdoors, whether swimming, sailing, hiking in the Rockies, or cross-country skiing. He was a very active member of the Saskatoon Nordic Ski Club for many years, spending countless winter weekends going on ski treks or working on cross-country ski trails in the Nisbet Forest. George loved to read and discuss current affairs, politics, history, and just about anything else! George treasured his family, and loved spending time with them at the family cottage at Emma Lake. The Memorial Service will be held at  Saskatoon Funeral Home, Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.