Aitken, James Drynan
1928 - 2002
Jim, at the age of 73, died Monday, June 3 at home on Denman Island, B.C.
Jim grew up in Scarboro, Ontario, and received an undergraduate degree in geological engineering from UBC in 1950. He graduated in 1952 from UCLA with a doctorate in geology. he had a 35-year career with the Geological Survey of Canada as a research scientist mapping in the Northwest Territories and Yukon, and often said he had the best job in the world. He loved the outdoors, skiing, gardening, hunting and fishing. Jim had many friends on the ski slopes of Lake Louise, where he worked as a volunteer Ski Patroller for 25 years. In 1991, he and his wife, Roxanna, retired to Denman Island where he built their home and gardened and fished.
He leaves his wife of 19 years, Roxanna Mandryk, his daughter Tenley (Brant) Dahlie of Smithers, his son Scott (Melissa Laidlaw) of Whistler, and his daughter Sally (Jim Hope) of Vancouver, and three grand-daughters, Elsa Dahlie of Kamloops, Alison Dahlie of Vancouver and Nora Hope of Vancouver. He is also survived by his brother Al (Eleanor) of Vernon, his first wife and other of his children Anne of Calgary, numerous nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues. He will be missed by one of his best friends, Baynes, his yellow lab.
A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at 10:30 am on Sunday, June 9 at the Denman Island Senior’s Hall. For information, call Dennis at (250) 335-1146.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Denman Island Conser-vancy Association or to the BC Cancer Foundation is his wish.
Jim will be missed!