Cherished husband and best friend of Susan (Susie) for 57 years. Amazing and dearly loved father of Tim (Stephanie) of Kitchener, Steven (Jennifer) of Barrie and Michelle (Shawn) of Guelph. He was the ever proud of and fun-loving Grampa to Mac, Cohen, Caleigh, Ashton, Teagan and Hayden. Always the family man, Jim prioritized their needs over his. Jim will be missed so much by his brother Harold (Monique) and sisters, Donna and Janet (Jesse) and many nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle Jim. He was predeceased by his parents, Norm and Ruth Spencer, younger brother Dave and infant twin granddaughters Taylor and Julianna.
Jim was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario in 1950 and attended Central Public School there. In 1958 the family moved to Cobalt where he attended Cobalt Public School and later Cobalt High School. In 1965, the family moved to Owen Sound and Jim attended West Hill High School. Jim worked at Canadian Tire in Owen Sound. Jimmy met Susie in the summer of 65. Since Susie was attending business college in Toronto, Jim moved to Toronto where he got a job at Don Valley Volkswagen and took business courses at night at Ryerson. Jim’s pleasant approach with people, knowledge of cars and ability to fix just about anything was noticed and led to a position with Auto Camping Ltd, where he claimed to have the perfect job; driving, stocking and dealing with car parts, maintaining good service with dealerships and increasing sales and customers. When Jim was 60, he was not nearly ready for retirement so when Worldpac asked him to work for them, he agreed.
At 71, Jim retired from paying jobs; instead, he helped family and friends with their car problems, volunteered at The Eden Mills Community Center and drove friends to work or appointments. Jim was a big Kid at heart. He loved: Elvis, cars, all kids, cars, 50s and 60s music, cars, Halloween, cars, Christmas and hanging those icicles perfectly, one at a time, cars, road trips, cars, butter tarts, cars, camping, cars, canoeing, cars, dancing “a la Jim”, cars, the Movie Christmas Vacation”, cars and especially family, friends, and Susie.
