Our beloved father and Pa, James Hay passed away peacefully on July 4th, 2021 with family by his side.
Jimmy was a paradigm of strength and resilience. He was a man of action, strong- willed and an archetype of unwavering work ethic, evidenced by his 30- year career with the Thunder Bay Fire & Rescue where he retired as Platoon Chief in 1990.
Jimmy took pride in being the patriarch of the family, with his wife Rae by his side, as they raised their family on Rankin Street. He enjoyed his retirement years as only Jimmy would, keeping himself busy whether it was finding something that needed to be fixed at camp or being the foreman to his sons’ and grandchildren’s various projects and builds. He was always willing to share his expertise with them on the proper way of doing things- his way of course. He expressed his love for his family by always being there to support, tools in hand, never expecting anything in return.
If there was time to spare, you would find Jimmy with various woodworking projects on the go, carpentry being another passion of his or heading out for a fishing trip, taking any opportunity to be on the lake with the “Obonga Gang". In quieter times, he could be found enjoying piping hot tea and a novel.
Jimmy enjoyed his retired years escaping to his winter oasis in Florida with Pat by his side and spending their summers together at Hawkeye Lake. His door was always open for a visit from friends and family, ultimately resulting in a few hours of storytelling and reliving the “good ol’ days”, always including the famous finger knock on the table when he really wanted to get his point across.
He was a proud “Pa” to his grandchildren and they will always cherish their time with him, enjoying camp as he filled them with his decadent treat of “cheesies”, followed by “Big Red” and pontoon boat rides and nightly card games. During many family occasions, you would find Jimmy smiling as he sipped out of his double bubble, taking it all in. Jimmy will be remembered as a man of honour, perseverance and strong will. He was the epitome of a proud man who loved his family. We will cherish our memories and time spent with our Dad, our Pa, the foreman of our family.
Jimmy was predeceased by his parents, James and Jane, his siblings, Lorraine, Isabel, Margaret, William and John and his loving wife Rae. He is survived by children John, Andy (Barb) and Myra (Michael), partner Pat and grandchildren Andrea, Ryan (Zoé), Jarrett (Katie), Travis (Angie), Brittany (Evan), Jenna, Kaitlyn (Hunter) and Callum as well as his great- grandchildren, Zéa, Marek, Callia, Letti, Maverik, Ella & Rome.
A Celebration of Life with close family and friends will be held in Jimmy’s honour at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Regional Cancer Centre or a charity of choice.
