WHITFORD, James
William James Richard Whitford
December 10, 1929 – July 17, 2025
It is with profound sadness that the family of James Whitford announces the death of their father and beloved partner.
James (Jim) was the only child of the late Sydney Whitford (Cornwall, Great Britain) and the late Margaret Fleming (Grafton, North Dakota, United States of America).
His four children survive him: Sandra (late Graham Ball), Murray, Tanya (Brian McGuire) and Daniel (Melissa Murdoch), also, his granddaughter Erin Ball (Benjamin Bizzarri), his great-grandchildren Scarlet and Augustus Bizzarri. Jim was married to the late Lois Gell and to Marie Rebinsky-Whitford. He had a long-lasting common-law partner Gay Stinson. He has become the angel of his dear Marie-Andrée Charlebois.
Born in a small farming community during the Great Depression and wishing to escape poverty and farming life, Jim left his native Alberta at the age of 20 to study at the Mexico City College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1954. Wanting to continue studying people and culture he worked in several Northern Alberta communities and then took his family to Coral Harbour on South Hampton Island in the Hudson Bay where he taught school and learned about Inuit culture. He then obtained a Master’s Degree in anthropology from the University of Toronto. He continued his professional journey working with the Cree communities in Northern Manitoba, the Inuit communities in the Arctic Circle and the Native Communities in Northern Regions of Canada. He pursued the rest of his career within three provincial governments and the Government of Canada.
Upon retirement, Jim returned to farming. He was deeply connected to his land in the Pontiac. He loved nature, hockey, opera, Mexico, good food, photography and the Argentine tango.
The family wishes to express gratitude to the personnel of the Centre Valentin (Campbell’s Bay) and the Hôpital du Pontiac (Shawville) for the caring and thoughtful care provided to James.
A private celebration of his life will take place later.
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