Jim Doherty “Snuffy”
March 28, 1933 – March 3, 2024
Jim was born in Birsay, Sask. on March 28, 1933 to Marie Seraphine (nee Roussin) and Matthew Doherty. He was one of nine children; but the last surviving one for many years now. The Depression was very difficult for the family; his mother decided to move the family that was young enough to Quibell, On. to be close to her family. Matthew was away cooking for train crews to make money for his family. Seraphine’s sister Adele was married to Firmin Marion and living in Quibell while brother Wilfred Roussin was married with a family of his own in Eagle River. Thus, family was close by and from then on, Jim considered his home to be Quibell (he was 10 when they moved) and never left there or thereabouts for very long. He was very close to his cousin Marie (nee Marion) Delorme, her husband Joe and all of their family. When Jim was 17, he lost his father suddenly and embarked on a relationship with Irene, both very young. Together they had a son, Matthew who passed away at nine days and 2 baby girls who didn’t make it alive into this world and this relationship ended, sadly.
Mom had a stroke in 1962 and Jim and brother Tom took to looking after her at home, keeping the fire lit and making certain that there was food. Tom was married by this time so a lot of this fell on Jim’s shoulders, he would leave home for hours and cut wood off the property and selling it to Bruce Campbell of Quibel. Later in 1963 Jim’s mother passed away.
Loving the outdoor lifestyle, Jim began to guide at Clarke’s Camp on Corner Lake for quite a few years. Ed Gawley got Jim interested in driving truck and working on heavy machinery and he worked for Ed for awhile. His brother Frank lived in Saskatoon, Sk. and upon one of Jim’s trips to visit there, he got a job driving for Motorways. A short marriage followed this move and Jim was thrilled to have a stepson, Larry with whom he stayed close and taught to drive truck also. After moving to Dryden, Jim got employment with Hoey MacMillan, driving truck and working with heavy machinery for at least 11 years.
In 1972, Jim met his wife Jo Ann and after Feb. 28th, 1973 they were considered common-law and then married on August 28, 1976. They fostered many children whom they cared for very much, one in particular being Marty who is still considered family to this day. Daughter Jaime was born in September, 1977 and twins Robert and Tera were born May 10, 1079. We were blessed with 4 wonderful grandchildren, Kaelyn Dunn, Langdon and Hayden Mackenzie and Ainsley Doherty. Wendy Doherty, Tom’s middle child stayed with us for most of her later school years and to this day is considered a sister to Jaime, Tera and Rob.
Before having to leave his job because of shoulder injuries, Jim worked for George Kupper Contracting and Kirouac Contracting. He lived in Princess Court, Dryden since November 2022 and fought a long hard fight against COPD, heart disease, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and dementia; dying with his family near and wife with him the early morning hours of March 3,2024. His new journey has just begun but a wonderful, pain free journey, it will be.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the Happy Go Lucky Seniors in Vermilion Bay, ON.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, 2300 Yonge St. Suite 1200, Box 2414, Toronto, ON M4P 1E4 or to the Alzheimer’s Society Kenora/Rainy River District, 618-9th St. North Kenora, ON P9N 2S8 Condolences may be posted to www.dcfh.ca
Arrangements entrusted to the
Dryden Community Funeral Home,
249 Grand Trunk Ave. Dryden, ON P8N 2X3
