Benjamin David James
Benjamin David James - Bell Canada Comptrollers - Retired Passed away on December 27, 2020 at Elisabeth Bruyere Hospital in his 92nd year. He was a fifth generation Canadian of Irish ancestry, descended from pioneer Canadian settlers who emigrated from County Wicklow, Ireland, to Lanark Township, in Lanark County, Eastern Ontario in 1820. He was born May 29, 1929 and grew up in the "James Settlement", Union Hall, Lanark Township and returned to that area to live in 1991. He was a resident of The Waterside Community Retirement Residence in Carleton Place since 2016. He had a career of almost 40 years in the Canadian Telecommunications Industry, retiring from Bell Canada in 1987. He was formerly with the Trans-Canada Telephone System (Telecom Canada/ The Sentor Group of Companies) and Bell Canada International Inc. He was involved in the industry from coast to coast across Canada including Canada's North, Greenland, continental U.S.A. with A.T. & T. Long Lines, Europe and the Middle East with B.C.I. Inc. and the Arabian American Oil Co. (ARAMCO) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the Hague, Netherlands and Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
Following retirement, he was elected as Councillor for the Township of Ramsay and later served on the Town of Mississippi Mills Police Services Board and the Zone 2 of the Ontario Association of Police Services Board (OAPSB). Throughout his lifetime he was an active member of the Anglican Church of Canada, serving in various capacities at the Parish and Diocesan levels in Montreal, Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley areas. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity, Mississippi Lodge #147 Almonte and Maple Granite Chapter #61 Carleton Place, Ontario. He was a strong supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party having served on Riding Association Executives for the Notre Dame de Gras and Westmount Ridings in Montreal and Ottawa Carleton and Lanark Renfrew Associations in Eastern Ontario. During his retirement years he received his Canadian Radio Amateurs licence (VA3 BDJ) with the help and patience of associates in the Lanark/North Leeds A.R.E.S. Group with whom he later became associated. He was a Life Member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and a Charter Member of B.P.G. Inc. After his daughter Jennie's death in 2005, Ben was instrumental in the establishment of the Jennie James Depression Research Fund at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. He also was a long term member and Past President of the Folger Hunt Club, an outdoor enthusiast with active interests in agriculture, forestry, gardening and motorcycling, as well as fast-ball, baseball and curling.
He was predeceased by his parents Benjamin E. James and Annie A. Rintoul, his estranged wife Sally Helene (Code) and his daughter Elizabeth Jane (Jennie) James and survived by two daughters, Margaret Ann James (Scott McLean) of Ottawa, Martha Hélène and Sam Lubbat of Chicago and by four grandchildren, Christopher and Steven James and Vivienne and Kate Lubbat as well as his brother Wm. H. James (June) of Courtice, Ontario and his sister, Jane Ann E. Chamney (John) of Carleton Place, Ontario and many nieces, nephews and their families.
Those wishing to honour Ben's memory are asked to consider a donation to the Jennie James Depression Research Fund, Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health, 1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON. K1Z 9Z9 As Ben would say, "Many Thanks". Funeral Arrangements Entrusted Into The Care Of C.R. Gamble Funeral Home & Chapel Inc. (127 Church St., Almonte, ON., 613-256-3313)