Curtis James Bird

Predeceased by his parents, George and Gladys Bird; brothers Mervin and Ray; wife, Bette (Cranna); and daughter-in-law, Karen Bird, he is survived by his sister, Marie Finishen; sons, Doug and Don (Marj); daughter, Janice (Bruce) Johnstone; grandchildren, Jonathan, Megan, Craig, Curtis, Neil, Keith, Gregg, and Drew; seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Born in Limerick, Sask., on May 20, 1926, Jim grew up in a number of small Saskatchewan towns, including Kelstern, Choiceland and Griffin, where his father was the Canadian Pacific Railway station agent. During the Dirty Thirties, he had his own trap line and hunted rabbits and gophers with his favorite dog, Brownie. It was in Griffin that Jim met the love of his life, Bette, whose books he used to carry home from school. They were married in 1945 and settled briefly in Regina, where Jim secured a job as a relief agent for the CPR.

Jim got his first permanent job with the CPR as a night operator in Macklin, where Doug and Don were born. In Macklin, Jim played baseball and hockey and discovered his second great love, golf, which he played often and well over the next six decades.

The Bird family moved around the province, to Pangman, where Janice was born, then to Southey, finally settling in Estevan in 1968, where he worked until taking early retirement in 1985. During those years, Jim learned and mastered several hobbies, including metal and wood-working, collecting time pieces and keeping physically fit, by exercising, walking, swimming and, of course, golfing. He also exercised his brain, reading voraciously and taking advanced educational courses well into his 80’s.

After Bette passed away in 1998, Jim continued to live in Estevan, golfing, swimming, frequenting coffee row, and taking time to visit his children and grandchildren.

The family would like express its gratitude to staff and residents at College Park II for their support and care for Jim during the last six months of his life. We would also like to thank Dr. Vermeulen and the staff at the Pasqua Hospital for their kindness during Jim’s final days.

At Jim’s request, there will be no funeral service. His ashes will be interred later this year at Percy Cemetery in Kisbey, where his beloved Bette is buried. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jim’s memory to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Orsted-Carlyle Funeral Home, Carlyle, SK.