I had the pleasure of meeting my best friend’s brother Jim in 1968 at 26 Axsmith Cresent in Willowdale .  After meeting him I said to Karen “wow you are so lucky to have such a cool brother!”
Jim was always making jokes (just like his Mom) and was very friendly. Karen and I and Jim went to the George Vanier Secondary School .. Jim was a year older than us and was very popular!
I spent a lot of time at their house and always enjoyed the family dynamics ... always lots of fun!
Jim came to parties with Karen, my boyfriend Tim and an array of our friends. Jim fit in perfectly!
The last time I saw Jim was ten years ago at Mr. Riddell’s 90th Birthday Celebration. I was a bit surprised to see his new hairstyle and beard!! I enjoyed talking with him after decades of not seeing him!! He still was the old Jim!
It saddened Tim and I greatly to hear of his passing ... and my heart broke for Jim’s sisters who loved him dearly.
I believe that Jim is in Heaven, at peace ... telling jokes to the Angels ... God bless him ...
Donna 


Memories of my Brother-in-law Jim:
Jim has been a part of my life since I was 15 years old, when Karen and I found each other through a mutual friend with a Norway Bay connection. She lived with her family in Toronto and I with mine in Ottawa at that time, so it was a long-distance relationship for the 1st 4 years. During my visits to TO I discovered that dating Karen included hanging out with her siblings too. When Karen’s best friend Donna and her newlywed husband Tim hosted a greaser party, Jim, Karen and I and little sister Pam got dressed up as 1950s era tough guy teens, and had a blast together at the party. Then there was the time Jim took us out a popular pub along with his friends Jim Osborne and “Big Bros” Dave.
In the summer of 74 Jim was working as an Instrumentation Technician at the Institute of Medical Technology in TO. He was dating Jan and had bought his dream car, a 1967 Corvette. I was still in college  and Mum Riddell found a great summer job for me as a draftsman with her employer, a construction company. The hitch was Karen had moved to Ottawa to be closer to me. I Stayed at Mum and Pop Riddell’s house, and spent more time that summer with Jim and Jan, and rest of Karen’s family than I did with Karen.
When the family went to Norway Bay one Friday, I went with them. Karen came from Ottawa and we all had a fun weekend with many games of In Between. Mum and Pop and the little sisters stayed on at the Kroes Nest cottage after the weekend but I had to get back to work in TO.
Jim and Jan had driven up separately and also needed to go back, so I hitched a ride with them in the Corvette. A Corvette Coup is a 2-seater vehicle, so I squeezed into the trunk, and spent the super fast 3½ hour trip staring up at the stars through the trunk window.
Although our paths veered away when he moved to Edmonton, Jim maintained his connection with me, and all our family with phone calls, Christmas gifts and visits throughout his life. I will miss him.
Love, Robin


I got to know Jim as the older brother of my lifelong dear friend Pam. Whether visiting with Pam and her family in Toronto or hanging out in Norway Bay I remember Jim's warmth, teasing ways and yes, I must admit, I had a crush on him!
My heartfelt condolences to all of Jim's family! 
Ruth Cowley


My fond memory of "Uncle Dim" was when we took his camper 4x4ing through the trail at Norway Bay.  And don't  forget the  games of in between (card game). 
Love, Jay

The "Uncle Dim" started when Jason was a toddler and learning to speak. He had trouble with the J sound so Jim came out as Dim. The name stuck.
Robin

A Sisters' Tribute to her Brother:
Jim and I were very close as we grew up, I being born when he was 18 months old.  We shared everything, including our bedroom and bunk beds, chalk board, toys, etc. We even shared our birthdays on the same 26th day of the month. We were buddies, running down to the creek on our 2-acre property, making forts, climbing trees, cycling, skating, walking along our long street, picking veggies from our garden & playing on our swing set. Pam joined the family when I was 5 and the fun continued as a threesome.
3 years later we moved to Montreal, and Lorri came along. We enjoyed the new baby and helped mom care for her.
2 years later we moved to Toronto and started new experiences. By then Jim was 14 1/2 years old. He was our big brother and we all adored & looked up to him.  We knew he was very smart as he was able to fix things around the house. He also built toys for baby Lorri.
Every year we spent our summers at Norway Bay, at our grandparent’s cottage. As we grew older, we made our own friends, but I we always stuck together & looked out for each other. My happiest memories were at Norway Bay & I know The Bay meant just as much to Jim too.
In our twenties after we were still experiencing similar things, such as falling in love and getting married within 6 months of one another, and having our 1st child within a couple of years of each other. We continued to stay in touch and had many visits back and forth from Ottawa to Toronto. 
All the family were happy for Jim when he excitedly announced the wonderful employment opportunity he had obtained in Edmonton and his & Jan's decision to move there. It was a very sad day for all the rest of the family but we never let on to Jim. We wished them well but after they left, we felt a deep sense of loss as our paths were taking on new directions.
My eternal love and peace are sent to you always Jim; I really miss you already but know & have faith that I will see you again someday!
Love,
Karen 

Uncle Jim and Aunt Jan were part of my life from a very early age.  I was born premature and weighed only 1 pound twelve ounces at birth, so as a result, I spent over two months as a patient at The Hospital for Sick Children (commonly known as Sick Kids) in Toronto after I was born.  Uncle Jim worked across the street from Sick Kids and Aunt Jan worked beside Sick Kids at the time, so he and Aunt Jan visited me in hospital and helped feed and look after me while I was a preemie.  My parents appreciated the help, because they had just bought a townhouse in Ottawa, and had to get back home.  

In the summer of 1986, when I was almost 9 years old, we took the train out west to Vancouver and Edmonton to visit Uncle Jim, Aunt Jan, and my cousins Chris, Brina, and Adam. 

Like my brother Jason and my sister Angela, most of my memories of Uncle Jim are of the time we spent at Granny Jo and Grandad Riddell’s cottage in Norway Bay, Quebec.  I will remember Uncle Jim's laugh, and how most of the family jokingly nicknamed him “Uncle Dim”. 

I will also always remember how much he loved his family, including his nieces and nephews.  Although keeping in touch wasn’t always easy, especially in the latter years of his life, Uncle Jim and I had some good chats over Skype over the years and already I miss him greatly. 

Rest in peace Uncle Jim. 

With love from Jim's niece Jennifer xoxo


Dear cousins Chris, Adam and Brina,
Here is a poem I found that expresses my feelings on the loss of your dad, my uncle Jim:

In Memory of Uncle Jim
 
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone.
A part of us went with you,
The day God took you home.
If tears could build a stairway.
And heartaches make a lane,
We’d walk our way to heaven,
And bring you back again.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we love you still,
In our hearts you hold a place
no one could ever fill.
 
All my love,
Angela


Chris…Brina…Adam
I was very upset to hear the news about Uncle Jim although we haven’t seen each other in years. 
I have fond memories of Uncle Jim when he visited with my mom, Len and I.   He was very helpful around the house fixing this and that.   He always made me laugh with his funny antics and good sense of humour.
I always called Jim   `uncle dim`  which was a nick name that lived on. 
 
I have some of the best memories of my childhood being at the cottage with the family.  Uncle jimmy and I played lots of games (Chinese checkers being a big one) cards, dancing , movie nights,  at Norway bay, swimming at the pier. 
I always felt Uncle Jim was very happy up at the cottage, felt like home away from home to him and I think everyone was always happy at the cottage because it was a time for the family to be together and enjoy each others company, relax and catch up . 
 
I’m at a loss for words and feel saddened I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.  I hope he knows how I felt about him that he was a great uncle.   I enjoyed all the time we spent together over the years and how it was so nice when Brina, Adam & Chris came down for visits.  It always was hard to say goodbye when they left.  I remember mom crying at the airport saying goodbye to jim .
 
I truly hope Uncle Jim is at peace now and in a loving embrace reunited with Granny & Grandad.
Although we can’t be there with you today, our hearts are with you. 
 
Love you all 
Cousin Lindsey 

In Memory of our dear brother Jim...  
January 26th, 1950 - April 4th, 2020...

Many fond, happy and adventurous memories come to mind of good times shared bye all of us kids growing up in Toronto and the family cottages at Norway Bay, QC.
Best word to describe our brother Jim was a tease.  He had plenty of opportunity to do that with his sisters.  In turn, we had the pleasure of tattling on him for one thing or another to our parents, which to our satisfaction he would get in trouble for.  
Jim was a tinkerer.  He enjoyed making and creating things....especially from his sisters toys that had wheels on them. He enjoyed converting our toys, such as doll carriages and roller skates to building a go cart or two. We all had fun though riding them on our sloped street.  All the kids in the neighborhood enjoyed them too. 
Later on in years Jim graduated from tinkering with go carts to hot rods cars and then his  ultimate vehicle the Black Stingray Corvette.  We remember you and your passions.
 
Many happy times shared in Norway Bay, BBQ'ing, fishing on a trout farm, and playing cards (inbetween) at our family cottage.  We had so much fun,  that cottage goers dropped bye wanting to join in.  
We were the talk of the bay.

We will deeply miss you Jim , and the lifetime of fun times shared.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal...
Love leaves a memory      no one can steal...
Be free and rest in peace dear brother..
until our paths meet again....
Your loving sisters.....
Pam & Lorri

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Harold James Riddell

26 janvier 1950 – 4 avril 2020

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