Angeline Valentine James

1926 – 2012

On Thursday July 19, 2012, Mrs. Angeline Valentine James (nee Russell) after a lengthy illness passed away peacefully at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta.

She is survived by her loving husband of the last 54 years, Ronald Stephen James and her son Jason Broderick James also of Edmonton. She is survived by her younger sister Mrs. Helen (Charlie) Styles and younger brother Mr. Albert (Sonia) Russell both residents of Edmonton and brother in law, Mr. Donald James of Calgary, Alberta. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews living in Canada as well as Poland and Bulgaria.

She was predeceased by her father, James Russell who passed away on May 24, 1978 and her mother Rose Russell (nee Kushner) who passed away on April 9, 1993.

Angeline was born in Edmonton on St. Valentine's Day, February 14, 1926, hence, the middle name. Her father was employed by the Canadian National Railways meaning in her younger years she and her family frequently moved according to the dictates of the CNR. Therefore, she also lived in Coronado, Alberta; Highgate, Saskatchewan and then back to Edmonton where her family resided at 107 Avenue and 96 Street. Later her family moved to the Cloverdale neighborhood on 98 Avenue at the corner of 94 Street, where her father opened the Russell's Grocery Store. Angeline attended school in Edmonton at Alex Taylor and Queen's Avenue Elementary, McCauley Junior High and finally McDougall Commercial for High School. Subsequent to High School, she worked for the Edmonton Public School Board as well as in her father's grocery store.

Angeline was from a very young girl a devout believer in Christianity. She attended the Toronto Bible College and received a diploma in Theology in the early 1950's. Her goal at this time in her life was to eventually become a missionary, as she felt helping people in this manner was what the Lord wanted her to do. For a time, she served as a Sunday School Teacher outside of Edmonton.

She eventually returned home where she met her future husband Ronald James. They were married at Knox Metropolitan Church in Edmonton on October 18, 1957. Her only child Jason, was born on August 15, 1959. Because of her husband's service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, she lived in Virton, Belgium; Etain, France; Comox, B.C. and Trenton, Ontario. While her husband was in the RCAF, she worked part time in a hardware store in Comox and full time for Simpson Sears Credit in Trenton. After her husband's retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces in July, 1971, she and her family moved back to Edmonton where she lived for the remainder of her life. In Edmonton in the early 1970's, Angeline found employment for a brief time with Sears and then with The City of Edmonton where she worked in payroll for close to 20 years. After her father's death in 1978 and while still working full time and having her own family, Angeline on her own initiative took on the additional responsibility of caring for her mother, so that she could live independently in her own home until her death in 1993. Upon retirement, besides some vacations with either her son or her husband, she spent the majority of her time living at home with her family. Angeline had numerous interests and was involved in many different activities. Besides her never ending devotion to her family and the Christian faith, she was most interested in reading, knitting, shopping, gardening, traveling and sports, particularly hockey. In her younger years, it was Glenn Hall and the Edmonton Flyers. Later it was Bobby Hull and the Chicago Blackhawks. Finally, it was Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers.

Those wishing to pay their last respects may do so on Friday, July 27, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Hainstock's Funeral Home (9810 - 34 Avenue, Edmonton, AB) where a Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Hainstock's Funeral Home with Interment to follow at South Haven Cemetery. In Lieu of Flowers, donations can be made to the: The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Tyndale University College & Seminary Toronto, Ontario.