Rev. James Ross Stockton

Peacefully after a lengthy illness at Fairhaven Long Term Care on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 87 years of age. Beloved husband of Jessica (nee Beecham) for 49 years. Loving father of John (Nora Baboudjian) of Hamilton, Beth (Omer Riza) of Toronto, Grace (Christophe Bliard) of Reims, Bill (Christy Thomas) of Vancouver and Stephen (Liann Bobechko) of Toronto. Cherished Grandpa of Talar, Seta Mae & Zabel; Alia & Danyal; Gabriel, Esther, Samuel, Adam; Eloise & Ryerson; and Julia. Dear brother of Helen Stockton (Toronto). Jim was predeceased by his siblings Marion Gloeckler and Sheldon Stockton; survived by his in-laws Otto Gloeckler (Edmonton) and Lois Stockton (Guelph). He will be lovingly remembered by his nieces, nephews and his many good friends. Born on a farm in Dumfries Township, Jim grew up farming with his father. He then had his own farm for 12 years. After graduating from Guelph University with a Bachelor of Science degree and a gold medal in animal husbandry, Jim went on to study Theology in Emmanuel college and was ordained in 1962 by the United Church of Canada. Combining his love of the land with his call to ministry, he served with the world mission of the United Church in Zambia as an agricultural missionary for the next ten years. As an ordained minister, he served in several pastoral charges including Kitwe and Ndola, Zambia, and then in Canada in Arthur, Hanover and Peterborough. After retirement, he continued his work in Ennismore and the Bancroft area. In addition to his rich working life, Jim took great joy in his family. Many memorable moments were spent together at the cottage which he built in 1972. Jim loved to travel and pursued numerous hobbies including woodworking, gardening and curling. Visitation will take place on Friday, April 20, 2012 from 5-8 pm at COMSTOCK FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 356 Rubidge Street, Peterborough, Ontario (705) 745-4683, and 1:00 – 1:45 pm at ST. ANDREW’S UNITED CHURCH, 441 Rubidge Street, Peterborough, on Saturday, April 21, 2012 followed by a funeral service at 2:00 pm. Interment to take place at 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 22 at Ayr Cemetery, Ayr, Ontario. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to United Church Mission and Service Fund (www.united-church.ca). Online condolences may be made at www.comstockfuneralhome.com

James Ross Stockton

James Ross Stockton was born in 1924 on the family farm in South Dumfries Township close to Paris Ontario. Jim grew up farming with his father, George, mother Mabel (nee Holmes), siblings Helen and Sheldon. The rhythms of agricultural life and rural culture were formative to Jim and instilled the lifelong values of hard work, productivity and stewardship. He started working at an early age by working on the fields, driving teams of horses, raising livestock and bringing in the harvest. Although an excellent and accomplished student, Jim did not pursue further education after high school but stayed on at the farm with his parents. Sister Marion, sixteen years his junior, was still at home during this period, and was a spark of life and laughter in the strict routine of Presbyterian sensibility and Brant county work ethic. Farming during the Great Depression left its indelible mark on Jim. Stewardship, thrift, conservation and a make-do-can-do attitude were core values that guided him throughout his life.

The Student

A scholarship student at Ontario College of Agriculture, Jim graduated with a gold medal in animal husbandry in 1959 at a time when optimism prevailed and agricultural science was transforming food production to feed the hungry. However, his future was not to be with farming and Jim returned to Emmanuel College to complete a Bachelor of Divinity in 1961. Finally, Jim completed a Masters of Theology during furlough in 1967.

The Man

Besides the science of agriculture, Jim had a love of the liberal arts: history, politics, economics, international relations and theology. Jim also had a lifelong love of travel. From the mission field, Jim travelled extensively in sub-Saharan Africa. Later, he continued his travels to the Middle East, Western Europe, and through-out Canada. He enjoyed meeting people from around the block and around the world. Wherever he went, Jim would initiate conversation with people from all walks of life, delighting in listening to people’s stories and sharing his thoughts on the matters at hand. He was as quick to smile and laugh as he was to lecture.

Jim and Jessica decided to build a family cottage in the early ‘70s on a beautiful lot on Salmon Trout Lake in Hastings County. Using hammers and hand saws, the cottage was built and soon became a treasured yearly retreat for the family and a place for Jim to pursue his leisure hobbies of woodwork, reading and games.

Jim was an ambitious amateur carpenter, crafting both functional and fun items such as futon frames, desks, lamps and blanket boxes for family and friends. He was the king of reclaim before its time and when Grace United Church refitted the basement floor, he recovered the wood and voila, the numerous coffee tables that many of us still have today, appeared.

For Jim, idleness was the root of all evil and once the task at hand was finished there was always more to be done. Jim had a tremendous capacity for hard work; he was an exacting task master for himself and those around him.

The Missionary

Combining his love of the land with his call to ministry, Jim served with the World Mission of the United Church of Canada in Zambia as a missionary from 1962 to 1972. Jim’s first undertaking was as director of the agriculture project at the Mindolo Ecumenical Centre in Northern Rhodesia. His mission was to train young farmers, administer a large land grant, clear land and plant crops and fruit trees. In 1965, he assumed the role of minister at St. Margaret’s United in Kitwe where his sermons were broadcast by radio across the country. After a furlough back home in Canada, Jim took his family to Ndola Zambia in 1968. This time he served as minister at St. Andrews United. While in Ndola, he took on new projects including retiring a significant church debt and creating a pre-school and secondary school staffed and run by church members.

The Pastor

Jim served as spiritual shepherd for his parishioners and was at his best in his pastoral role supporting families through life’s passages -- birth and death, marriage and heartbreak, illness and health, joyous gatherings and loneliness. Jim had a special place in his heart for the care of elderly people, visiting retirement and nursing homes regularly. He was an able administrator and builder; churches flourished under his attention and became a strong center for the community.

As an ordained minister in Canada, he served in several pastoral charges including Arthur United, Grace United in Hanover and St. Andrew’s in Peterborough as well as supply minister roles including Lakefield, Norwood, Springville, Ennismore, Carlow, Apsley, Paudash and Bancroft.

The Family Man

A man ahead of his time, Jim was present at the births of all of his children. Five children born in Zambia did not slow his ambitious daily schedule. Jim shoehorned his family of seven into a Volkswagen Beetle for a road trip to Malawi and took other family excursions to Tanzania, Rhodesia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zaire and Victoria Falls. Upon returning to Canada, most summers were spent at the family cottage, but a road trip across Canada in 1979 became a landmark event.

Jim instilled the love of reading in his children. His own reading tastes were eclectic. He was equally engrossed by James Michener, Globe and Mail editorials, biographies, and animal tales, not the least of which was Walter the Farting Dog.

The children’s early years were filled with Thornton Burgess books and Jim delighted in many a moral that could be learned from Peter Rabbit, Reddy the Fox and Sammy Jay. Summers at the cottage were highlighted by Jim’s promise to read the next chapter of CS Lewis’s Narnia books once everyone was in bed!

Jim loved classical and folk music even though he did not play an instrument and was challenged in carrying a tune. He insisted that all his children take piano lessons and regularly shuttled them to early morning band practices.

The Gardener

Ever the farmer, Jim’s gardens were large in size and bountiful in production. What couldn’t be eaten, shared or buried was canned, frozen or pickled for the long Ontario winter. Jim marshalled family production lines to process harvests of beans, corn, tomatoes or freshly slaughtered chickens.

The Retiree

After ‘retirement’ in 1989, Jim continued his work with the church, serving in the Grace United in Peterborough, Ennismore and Bancroft/Carlow pastoral charges. Among other activities, Jim volunteered with a youth probation program and coordinated a chaplain program at the Peterborough hospital. At St. Andrew’s Jim initiated a food bank program, started a men’s group and a senior’s group. Retirement gave time to Jim to further his hobbies of gardening, canning, candle making, woodworking, chili making, African violet production and curling. He often travelled by plane or bus to visit his children and the burgeoning population of grandchildren. However, as time passed, these trips were curtailed by vascular dementia which increasingly diminished his independence and resulted in his eventual admission to Fairhaven Long Term Care where he lived the last 4 ½ years of his life.

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Peacefully after a lengthy illness at Fairhaven Long Term Care on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 87 years of age. Beloved husband of Jessica (nee Beecham) for 49 years. Loving father of John (Nora Baboudjian) of Hamilton, Beth (Omer Riza) of Toronto, Grace (Christophe Bliard) of Reims, Bill (Christy Thomas) of Vancouver and Stephen (Liann Bobechko) of Toronto. Cherished Grandpa of Talar, Seta Mae & Zabel; Alia & Danyal; Gabriel, Esther, Samuel, Adam; Eloise & Ryerson; and Julia. Dear brother of Helen Stockton (Toronto). Jim was predeceased by his siblings Marion Gloeckler and Sheldon Stockton; survived by his in-laws Otto Gloeckler (Edmonton) and Lois Stockton (Guelph). He will be lovingly remembered by his nieces, nephews and his many good friends. Born on a farm in Dumfries Township, Jim grew up farming with his father. He then had his own farm for 12 years. After graduating from Guelph University with a Bachelor of Science degree and a gold medal in animal husbandry, Jim went on to study Theology in Emmanuel college and was ordained in 1962 by the United Church of Canada. Combining his love of the land with his call to ministry, he served with the world mission of the United Church in Zambia as an agricultural missionary for the next ten years. As an ordained minister, he served in several pastoral charges including Kitwe and Ndola, Zambia, and then in Canada in Arthur, Hanover and Peterborough. After retirement, he continued his work in Ennismore and the Bancroft area. In addition to his rich working life, Jim took great joy in his family. Many memorable moments were spent together at the cottage which he built in 1972. Jim loved to travel and pursued numerous hobbies including woodworking, gardening and curling. Visitation will take place on Friday, April 20, 2012 from 5-8 pm at COMSTOCK FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 356 Rubidge Street, Peterborough, Ontario (705) 745-4683, and 1:00 – 1:45 pm at ST. ANDREW’S UNITED CHURCH, 441 Rubidge Street, Peterborough, on Saturday, April 21, 2012 followed by a funeral service at 2:00 pm. Interment to take place at 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 22 at Ayr Cemetery, Ayr, Ontario. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to United Church Mission and Service Fund (www.united-church.ca). Online condolences may be made at www.comstockfuneralhome.com