Obituary for James "Jim" Sifton
SIFTON, Jim - On October the 4th, our grampa, dad, husband, brother, and friend Jim Sifton passed away, bringing peace and comfort after struggling in recent months with pulmonary fibrosis.
Jim was born in 1948 to Bill and Margaret (née Houston) Sifton in Palmyra, Ontario. He spent his childhood on Ellistone farm with his siblings Don (Katie) and Bonnie (Steve) Walsh before going to Queens University to become a civil engineer. Soon after graduation, he met Anne (née Dickson), his wife of 49 years, and sidekick in countless adventures and travels. They volunteered with CUSO in Botswana for 2 years before they built their family life - first in Burlington, then Dartmouth, and finally in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Once in NOTL, Jim quickly became part of the community, enjoying golf games with WOOFs and the Men’s League, joining the Grantham Street Curling Club, and helping to establish the NOTL Pickleball Club. Jim would say he lived a very full life.
Jim was a natural athlete, and considered one of the friendliest players on the baseball diamond, basketball court, golf course, curling rink, and most recently the pickleball court. He would make every win look effortless. But you can be sure that when he did lose, he would spend hours analyzing what went wrong.
Jim had a quiet, unassuming nature which helped him make friends easily, but he was no pushover. He had an incredibly strong belief in doing what was right and fair. He loved deeply and was fiercely committed to supporting his family: wife Anne, kids Rob (Leah Scott) and Heather (Strahan) McCarten, grandkids Elan, Maggie, Avery, and Hayden, his siblings, nieces and nephews. He truly listened to people and made everyone he interacted with feel valued and respected, even when he struggled with his own health challenges.
But what truly set Jim apart was his methodical approach. His unspoken motto was ‘anything worth doing is worth taking an inordinately long time to do’. From his renowned lawn mowing skills and glacial pace of eating, to completing puzzles and home renovations, Jim aimed for perfection and wouldn’t be rushed.
We will profoundly miss his sense of humour, and stories of pocket hotdogs. We will miss his love of competition (though we appreciate the opportunity to finally have a chance to win). We will miss our daily comparisons of Wordle scores. And we know the good people at the CRA will miss his annual tax returns, completed with care and perfection using a pen and paper. Indeed, he will be missed by many.
Cremation has taken place, and interment will take place at the Trinity Church Howard near Morpeth, ON.
A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake (14 Anderson Lane). There will be time to visit between 1:00 and 2:00pm and a few tributes to Jim between 2:00 and 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, (which Jim, a champion of frugality and practicality, would consider totally unnecessary) donations can be made to the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (https://cpff.ca/) to support research, or to The Niagara Health Foundation (www.niagarahealth.on.ca/site/pulmonary-rehabilitation-program) to support Pulmonary Rehab for patients in the Niagara area. And we, his family, would humbly ask you to think of him the next time you drive, deliver, dribble or dink. But no rush. Jim wouldn't have it. Arrangements entrusted to MORGAN FUNERAL HOME, 415 Regent Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Memories, photos and condolences may be shared at www.morganfuneral.com
Jim was born in 1948 to Bill and Margaret (née Houston) Sifton in Palmyra, Ontario. He spent his childhood on Ellistone farm with his siblings Don (Katie) and Bonnie (Steve) Walsh before going to Queens University to become a civil engineer. Soon after graduation, he met Anne (née Dickson), his wife of 49 years, and sidekick in countless adventures and travels. They volunteered with CUSO in Botswana for 2 years before they built their family life - first in Burlington, then Dartmouth, and finally in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Once in NOTL, Jim quickly became part of the community, enjoying golf games with WOOFs and the Men’s League, joining the Grantham Street Curling Club, and helping to establish the NOTL Pickleball Club. Jim would say he lived a very full life.
Jim was a natural athlete, and considered one of the friendliest players on the baseball diamond, basketball court, golf course, curling rink, and most recently the pickleball court. He would make every win look effortless. But you can be sure that when he did lose, he would spend hours analyzing what went wrong.
Jim had a quiet, unassuming nature which helped him make friends easily, but he was no pushover. He had an incredibly strong belief in doing what was right and fair. He loved deeply and was fiercely committed to supporting his family: wife Anne, kids Rob (Leah Scott) and Heather (Strahan) McCarten, grandkids Elan, Maggie, Avery, and Hayden, his siblings, nieces and nephews. He truly listened to people and made everyone he interacted with feel valued and respected, even when he struggled with his own health challenges.
But what truly set Jim apart was his methodical approach. His unspoken motto was ‘anything worth doing is worth taking an inordinately long time to do’. From his renowned lawn mowing skills and glacial pace of eating, to completing puzzles and home renovations, Jim aimed for perfection and wouldn’t be rushed.
We will profoundly miss his sense of humour, and stories of pocket hotdogs. We will miss his love of competition (though we appreciate the opportunity to finally have a chance to win). We will miss our daily comparisons of Wordle scores. And we know the good people at the CRA will miss his annual tax returns, completed with care and perfection using a pen and paper. Indeed, he will be missed by many.
Cremation has taken place, and interment will take place at the Trinity Church Howard near Morpeth, ON.
A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake (14 Anderson Lane). There will be time to visit between 1:00 and 2:00pm and a few tributes to Jim between 2:00 and 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, (which Jim, a champion of frugality and practicality, would consider totally unnecessary) donations can be made to the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (https://cpff.ca/) to support research, or to The Niagara Health Foundation (www.niagarahealth.on.ca/site/pulmonary-rehabilitation-program) to support Pulmonary Rehab for patients in the Niagara area. And we, his family, would humbly ask you to think of him the next time you drive, deliver, dribble or dink. But no rush. Jim wouldn't have it. Arrangements entrusted to MORGAN FUNERAL HOME, 415 Regent Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Memories, photos and condolences may be shared at www.morganfuneral.com