In the early hours of May 11, 2020, James Everett Stevens left us for his next adventure, after an extended illness, at the age of 82. He is sorely missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of over 59 years, Madalean; his three children Mark, Tracy (Tim) and Miles ;grandchildren Judd (Courtney), Gregory, Arin and Cheylynn; great-grandchild Nina; his sister Lorna (Faouzi) Ghazi; nephews Michael, Steven, and David; and a great number of family and friends both near and far – too many to list here. Born January 14, 1938 to Harvey and Lila Stevens, two of the original pioneers of Flin Flon Manitoba, Jim grew up surrounded by family and friends. Visiting relatives, torturing his sister, and running up and down the pipeline and exploring with his friend. He shared with us many memories of the antics they all got up to – and from the sounds of them it explains why his mother always said with a sigh “we couldn’t get one over her,” because she had “seen it all”. Graduation from Hapnot High in 1957, James attended the University of Manitoba for one year before a fateful conversation with Flin Flon Dentist, Dr Biggs, sent him and a couple local friends to the United States to study at DeVry University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. There was little homesickness for Jim. He made many new friends and while we never heard much about the classes themselves – academics being perhaps secondary to life in the States at the turn of that decade – we did learn that he had soon pledged himself to a fraternity that he claimed was exactly like the movie “Animal House”. Jim enjoyed seeing many of those same frat brothers again in 2015 during a trip back to Fort Wayne. It was fun to see that it was as if no time at all had passed between them – noting the only change was that the beer didn’t come in kegs. The fraternity changed his life in many ways. At one such party, he met the love of his life, Madalean Kees. After a successful first date on Good Friday, 1960 – at a speakeasy no less – a whirlwind romance ensued and before you knew it, a wedding followed in August. Jim somehow managed to convince his new bride that a move was in order and he whisked her from the family farm in temperate Indiana back across the border to the frozen Manitoba North where they soon settled in together, making for themselves a successful life. After a couple short-term jobs, Jim found his calling, settling in at the Flin Flon Credit Union in 1961, where he worked for 39 years until retirement. Raising kids is never an easy task but Jim did his best during this time to keep three of them alive and healthy, before happily kicking each one out shortly after they reached the age of 18. Thankfully, we were allowed to return for visits where he spoiled us with his famous Sunday breakfasts and Barbeques. After retirement, he quickly threw out all his suits and ties and proceeded to live a life of so-called leisure, quickly becoming busier than when he was working! Jim spent his spare time working with the Flin Flon Handgun Club, traveling across the country for his beloved Single Action Shooting matches with Madalean and Miles, hiding out in his hobby room or tinkering with his computers, enjoying weekday breakfast catch-ups with friends at the Chicken Chef and perfecting a backyard gazebo that he and Madalean loved to spend time in. When Jim learned he was sick in 2017, the news was met with his typical determination and firm resolve to live his life as normally as possible for the time he had left. Being blessed with the Stevens’ main attribute – stubbornness – he turned a short prognosis into almost three full years for which we are extremely blessed. Always the organizer, he had things planned and ready to go for when he left us, freeing up our times for happier moments, sharing a laugh or two and listening (again and again) to his many stories. How we wish we could hear them just one more time. Jim lived his life graciously and courageously until the very end. Through his actions and words, he taught us the important things in life – to live honourably with as few regrets as possible, to keep so very close and dear to us as family and friends who bring joy to our lives and to keep going for as long as we can no matter how hard things get. We extend our gratitude and our thanks to all those who helped in his care during his illness. We extend a special thank you to all those who reached out to dad towards the end with a kind word and a friendly conversation, for those were the important moments he enjoyed so dearly. We will miss him more than words can say but we know that wherever he is, he’s reunited with family and friends, sharing stories and having more than a few laughs, and very likely he’s planning one epic Culture Night party with Art and the gang! Rest in peace dad.