JAMES EDWIN RAE

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JAMES EDWIN RAE

The family is devastated to announce the sudden accidental passing of our beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and papa James (Jim) Edwin Rae, on Friday, February 2, 2024. Left to cherish his memories are wife of 58 years Margaret, daughter Bronya (Art) and sons Gordon (Tammy) and David (Christy) and grandchildren James, Bethany, Chantelle, Andra (Rob) and Ashleigh, and great-grandchildren Addison, Avery, James and Jackson, and bothers Russell (Judy) and Robert (Ingrid) and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by parents George and Helen Rae and mother-in-law Edith Waldron.

Jim was born in Calgary, Alberta; the eldest of three brothers and raised on a farm in the community of Chestermere. He attended Rockland/Conrich Elementary School to Grade 9, which was a three room school with three teachers. He then attended Western Canada High School where he wrote for the school paper, was provincial debating champ in Grade 11, and was City Public Speaking champ in Grade 12. He obtained his four year Bachelor of Agriculture and Animal Sciences from the University of Alberta, after which he worked at Canada Safeway in the Egg Division, at Calgary Co-op as P.R. Director and Federated Co-op in feed sales.

Jim met his bride Margaret, a newly-minted RN from England, while working for the Calgary Junior Chamber of Commerce at the Pot ‘O Gold booth at the Calgary Stampede in 1964. They were married the following year and, while on honeymoon in England, were invited to and attended the Queen’s Garden Party with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip and other royals.

They relocated to Winnipeg in 1966 when Jim accepted an on-air position as the farm commentator at CBC Radio. Over the years they welcomed three children and became very involved in community and charitable organizations. Some of the organizations closest to Jim’s heart were; Parents of Twins and Triplets of Winnipeg, the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba (20+ years), the Misericordia Hospital Foundation (overnight host of the Children’s Hospital Telethon for many years), Hospice & Palliative Care Manitoba (where he MC’d the annual breakfast), St Andrews River Heights United Church Board, the Manitoba Farm Writers’ Association (life member), the Manitoba Community Newspapers organization, Rock Steady Boxing Club (where he participated in classes Tuesdays and Saturdays up to his passing), and the many activities that his children participated in. Jim could always be found at school musicals, kids’ sporting events, dance recitals, and clanging a cowbell at his grandson’s basketball games, much to everyone’s chagrin and Jim’s delight. As a Cub and Scout leader he took his sons and their scout troop to the Canadian Jamboree. He was Past President of the CBC Employees Credit Union, Manitoba Farm Writers, Canadian Farm Writers, and the Winnipeg branch of the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists.

During his career with CBC Jim had many highlights, including interviewing; countless Manitoba Mayors, attending the Brandon Winter Fair and Boissevain Turtle Derby, leading delegations to Washington, China, the Soviet Union, Australia, Rome, Brussels, and South Pacific countries such as Hawaii, Fiji and Tahiti. After a few years at CBC Jim hosted a call-in show called Questionnaire, and interviewed hundreds of people including politicians, farmers, athletes, and the first public interview of a stalking victim. It was his pleasure to interview his father about life over the years on the farm. Jim hosted dozens of election forums for civic, provincial, and federal elections, and was named CBC’s most prolific public speaker for Winnipeg and across Manitoba. He and his CBC colleagues raised thousands of dollars for the Children’s Hospital through a gourmet dinner contest over the years, for which he became known as the waiter in the yellow and black-velvet tuxedo. He also once got to do a traffic report from a hot air balloon.

Jim retired from CBC in 1996, but continued with his journalistic work. In 1997 he appeared in TV spots covering Manitoba’s flood of the century, and he wrote an agricultural column for rural newspapers that was published up to the week of his passing, totalling over 1,000 articles. He was a reporter for The Canadian Farmer doing a weekly national show on CTV. He was a consultant to CBC on beginning a new TV channel called Country Canada; a consultant to the Manitoba government on Intensive Livestock Operations; and a consultant to the Canada Grains Council and wrote on an on-farm food safety program for Canada’s Food Grain Industry.

In retirement he continued his international travels with Margaret, and the two of them visited five continents and over 30 countries over the years. Together the two of them enjoyed spending winters in Puerto Vallarta, and a family highlight was travelling overseas to Thailand for Bronya and Art’s wedding.

Jim was active through the years starting in his early teens, playing basketball and volleyball (and even playing goal for the Agriculture Hockey Team) for University of Alberta, and playing fast pitch, slow pitch and volleyball on CBC team. He took up running in his late 50’s and ran nine marathons – reporting on the Manitoba Marathon while running it one year – and boxed twice weekly as part of the Rock Steady Boxing Club with Bronya. He was known as the cribbage police, playing cribbage games with his kids and grandkids at every opportunity and correcting players when they missed points. Jim and Margaret found great joy belonging to the University of Manitoba gourmet dinner club, sharing fellowship and a love of food with old and new friends.

He was known far and wide for his openness, friendliness, and his willingness to help anyone with anything. His smile and firm handshake will be missed by everyone he knew.

The family’s gratefulness goes to the staff of Health Sciences Centre emergency and palliative care. A private family service has been held. A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Andrews United Church, 255 Oak St, Winnipeg, MB on Friday, February 16, 2024, from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm, with the opportunity to share memories about Jim starting at 2:30 pm.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 10, 2024, Feb 10, 2024