James Reginald Stevens
1930-2021

LIVESTREAM
SERVICE
www.oneroomstreaming.com/login
Email: admin@gilchristchapel.com
Password: U6923J
STEVENS, James Reginald (1930-
2021)
It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing
of Jim on June 11th in his
91st year. Jim was predeceased by his
first wife Carol, loving mother of Nancy, Christine (Richard), Paul
(Yvette), and Tracy (Mark). Also, predeceased by his parents
Margaretta and Tom, his two younger sisters Mary and Dorothy, and
brother-in-law George. Survived by his younger brother John
(Judith) and brother-in-law Johan (Carolyn). He will be
sadly missed by his grandchildren Jessica, Jaclyn, Kevin, Ben,
Noodinong-Bemosed, Gishebawik-Anong, Olivia, Cole, Natasha, and three
great-grandchildren, Julian, Bailey, and Bowen, and many nieces,
nephews, and cousins. In 1984 Jim went to Sweden on a sabbatical and
married Karin. She was at his side until he died.
Jim and Karin had more than 36 wonderful years together.
Their marriage gave Jim two “bonusbarn”, Elisabeth (Ronny)
and Anders (Susanne), and another four grandchildren, My, Tova, Amanda
and Frida.
Jim was born on his grandfather’s homestead just
outside of Kenton, Manitoba. His family returned to vacation
every year until Jim was 17. He grew up in East York in
Toronto and attended William Burgess public school and East York
Collegiate. During summer holidays Jim worked at a brick
yard, a haberdashery, and he was a camp counsellor and swimming
instructor at Camp Mazinaw outside of Bon Echo in northeastern
Ontario. In grade 13, Jim and three of his closest friends bought two
war surplus trucks with a loan of $75 that he secured from his father
for his share. They bought manure, potatoes, and later
Christmas trees which they sold and delivered all over East York.
During a rail strike in 1951, these same four friends drove
from Toronto to Vancouver in a 1951 Chevy which they were delivering
for a local Toronto car dealership. From Vancouver they
hitch-hiked on the famous Route 66 to St. Louis Missouri, and back to
Toronto.
In 1953 Jim graduated from the Victoria College in Toronto
specializing in Physics. He started teaching at St.
Andrew’s College in the fall with thoughts of becoming a
teacher like his mother and father. He changed his mind, and
in 1954 enrolled in a Masters of Geophysics program at the University
of Toronto. In 1955, he began his PhD studies in Polymer
Physics at the same university. In 1957 he and Carol moved to Guelph
and he started his academic career at the Ontario Agricultural College
(later in 1964 the University of Guelph). In addition to moving to
Guelph and starting his academic career, he and Carol bought a farm on
Stone Road and a few years later started their family. From
1979 to 1984, Jim was the Assistant Vice-President Academic with
responsibilities for the content and administration of all
undergraduate programs. He was a member of the University
Senate for more than 20 years. He was made the Honorary
President of the OAC class of 1964.
Jim published more than 140 peer reviewed papers.
He spent time as a visiting professor at several institutions in
Canada and abroad including Polysar in Sarnia, University of Kent in
Canterbury and the University of Manchester both in England, Bell
Telephone Laboratories in New Jersey, Chalmers University of
Technology, University of Uppsala, and Umeå University in
Sweden, École Superieur de Physique et de Chimie
in Paris France, and Warsaw Technical University in Poland. In
recognition of his research, Jim was made a Fellow of the American
Physical Society in 1992. In 1988 Jim was part of a group at Chalmers
University that won the Swedish Innovation Cup for their research on
something they called Smart Windows. In 2014, Jim was awarded a silver
medal by the Warsaw Technical University for his contributions to the
chemistry department. Jim was involved in inception of the
Waterloo-Wellington Science and Technology Fair and he was the chair
when the Canada Wide Science Fair was held in Guelph in
1994.
The athletic coaches at East York Collegiate Institute
instilled in Jim his love of sports. He was a member of the
East York Goliaths Basketball team that won the first All-Ontario High
School Championship in 1949. He was the technical advisor for many
track and field competitions like the Telegram-Maple Leaf Indoor games
from 1963 to 1978, the 1973 Pacific Conference Games, and the
Commonwealth Games in 1978. Jim chaired the Ontario
Universities Athletic Association Legislative Council for 25
years. He was a mentor to many Gryphon athletes until his
retirement in 1995. In 1986 Jim was inducted into the
Gryphons Hall of Fame as a Builder. He was an avid runner
and ran daily well into his late 70’s. He loved
golf and was a regular player with friends and associates at Cutten
Fields for 54 years.
Jim was an active community member. He was involved
in fundraising for the River Run Centre and Hospice
Wellington. He was a member and former President of the
Rotary Club of Guelph. He espoused the values of
“Service Above Self” with a membership that spanned over 40
years.
When it was time to sell the farm, Jim realized that it was
time for a new hobby. At 80 years old he decided to play the
tenor saxophone. He joined several bands including the New
Horizons Band in Guelph, the Grand River New Horizons Band, the 1914
Band in Waterloo, the Fergus Brass Band, and the Village Band in the
community in which he lived. Jim was a strong Anglican all
his life. As a child he would accompany his mother to church
every Sunday for two services. From the age of 7 until his
voice broke, he sang in the Boy’s Choir at St.
Luke’s in East York. He was a member of the St.
George’s church, and sang in the choir for over 60
years. In 2019, he was awarded the Order of
Niagara.
The family would like to thank Dr. Cary Shafir, and the
Bayshore nurses for their compassionate care making it possible for
Jim to live in his home until the very end.
Memorial contributions to Hospice Wellington (519-836-3921)
and the St. George’s Choral Scholar Fund (519-822-1366)
would be appreciated.
Private funeral arrangements have been entrusted to
GILCHRIST CHAPEL – McIntyre
& Wilkie Funeral Home, One Delhi Street, Guelph,
(519-824-0031). We invite you to
leave your memories and donations online at: www.gilchristchapel.com
and they will be forwarded to the family.

Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of James Reginald Stevens 19302021..

gilchrist chapel

Death notice for the town of: Guelph, Province: Ontario

death notice James Reginald Stevens 19302021

mortuary notice James Reginald Stevens 19302021