James Allan Morgan

26Oct29 – 12Nov20

In the early hours of Thursday, November 12, 2020, James (Jim) Allan Morgan Sr. escaped his earthly confines and joined the two loves of his life, Mickey and Fern, as well as his sisters, Evelyn, Norma and Dorothy. His children, along with several grandchildren, were both blessed and honoured to have cared for him in the months prior to his passing. Dad went peacefully, in his sleep, in his own home, with his children by his side. He had just turned 91 at the end of October.

Dad was born and raised in East Vancouver but completed high school in Grand Forks, BC. In 1948, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as an Instrumentation Technician and survived the integration of the RCAF, Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army into the Canadian Armed Forces in the 1960s. He retired with 31 years under his belt as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, in 1979, holding the rank of Warrant Officer. Awarded the Canadian Decoration with clasp for his time in the service, he left the military just a few months short of being awarded his 2nd clasp.

Dad survived seven airplane mishaps during his flying career, an explosion while replenishing the pilot’s oxygen supply on a jet fighter, being shot at during the FLQ crisis, a botched dental surgery in which he nearly bled to death and two major car crashes, neither of which were his fault. And to top it off, he survived raising five children at the same time.

He married Mickey in May of 1951, a year into the Korean War. Two days later, he joined his squadron at McChord Field, a United States Air Force base south of Tacoma, Washington. He did not return for six months. Thus, began a nomadic lifestyle that would see him travel to such places as the U.S., England, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, and across Canada, twice.

Jim raised three sons and two daughters, who gave him ten grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. He and Mickey were together for 37 years before Mickey passed in 1988.

It was love over the first cup of coffee, thanks to a local matchmaker, when Fern entered Jim’s life. Their adoration for each other was very evident and they married in 1996. Fern brought humour, practicality and a sense of adventure into the relationship which complimented Dad’s outlook on life. Unfortunately, Fern passed in 2015.

Dad loved working with kids and devoted 40+ years to the Boy Scouts, retiring from Scouting in the BC/Yukon Northern Area as a member of the District Service Team, and District Commissioner for the Fort George Nechacko District. He was awarded the Medal of Merit for his lifetime of dedication to the movement by then Lt. Governor of Alberta, the Honourable Frank Lynch-Stanton.

Having instructed many courses in the military, it was a small step to becoming a civilian instructor and range officer with 396 City of Prince George Air Cadet Squadron.

Dad’s service to the community included providing more than 3000 hours of time with the Hart Highway CPAC office as a member of the Community Crime Prevention Program. He donated blood for over 40 years. Being an avid reader, he and his wife, Mickey, became adult literacy tutors at CNC.

Dad loved camping, fishing, canoeing, berry picking, his garden, crossword puzzles, Cribbage games and of course, reading. As he got older his love for PB & J sandwiches and KD or “crap-mac-a-bone”, as he called it, became legendary.

However, Dad saved his greatest love for his children, grand-children and great-grandchildren. His “Woody” woodpecker imitations, his ability to turn a normal white handkerchief into a mouse that would run up his arm would have them amazed and laughing. He taught some of them how to shoot, others to pan for gold, how to carve wood and soapstone and showed them that love takes many different forms.

Dad was always more concerned about our wellbeing rather than his own. When Dad became aware that he was palliative, he told us, “Don’t worry about it, none of us get out alive!”

Dad is survived by his brothers, Walter (Myra) and Harry (Colette), his children Jim Jr. (Val), Walter (Jean), Morris (Naty), Cathy (Nick) and Alice (Rick) and his faithful canine companion, Mitzi.

Through the years, the neighbours within the cul-de-sac contributed greatly to his wellbeing where Dad enjoyed the block parties and comraderie within the community. We would like to extend a special thanks to Bonnie, his housekeeper and confidant, whose caring efforts reflected her friendship with Dad.

A special thank you, and our gratitude, goes out to Northern Health’s Rapid Response Team, Palliative Nursing Team and Home Care Team for the outstanding care and compassion given to Dad.

Jim, Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, Brother, Uncle, Boss, Co-worker, or Friend, whatever you called him, is resting easy and in peace. In Scouting terms, he has “Gone Home”.

Referencing, ‘High Flight’, the official poem of the RCAF written by John Gillespie Magee in 1941, Dad has “slipped the surly bonds of Earth” to “touch the face of God”.

A Celebration of Life ceremony will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, a donation to either Wounded Warriors Canada (www.woundedwarriors.ca) or The War Amps of Canada (www.waramps.ca) would be appreciated.