DUNDAS, James “Jim” Albert, age 94, of Cambridge, Ontario, passed away of natural causes on July 17, 2021. Jim was predeceased by his best friend and wife of 62 years, Joycelyn “Joy” Helen Dundas (née Adamson). Jim was also predeceased by his devoted parents Robert “Bob” Anthony and Sarah “Sadie” Alvena Dundas (née Little), and his sister Dr. Ruth A. Dundas. He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Michele (H. Gordon), Trevor (Nancy), and Angela (Kevin) and his sister-in-law Margaret Beatrice Beattie (Don) of Woodstock, New Brunswick. Jim will also be affectionately remembered and deeply missed by his grandchildren, Alex (Matilda), Amanda (Jesse), Sarah, Scott, Sean, Seth, Ryan (Natasha), Kristopher (Laura), and Brandon (Krystal). Jim had two very special extended families – a close knit group of passionate bridge players and his dear next-door neighbours, Troy and Jackie Patrick. He will be remembered fondly by all of them.
Jim was born on March 6, 1927 in Toronto, Ontario. Growing up, Jim spent some of his favourite summers in Seaforth, Ontario on his uncle’s farm. He lived through many interesting decades and made the most of the changing times as he transitioned from organizing the horses for his aunt and uncle, to learning how to 3D print at the Cambridge Library. He had numerous jobs over his lifetime, but one of his favourites was that of a deckhand, which afforded him the opportunity to travel throughout all five Great Lakes on cargo ships. He also enjoyed working as a cook on the railroad when the soldiers returned from WWII into Halifax and were transported to their homes across Canada by rail. He often told us that we should go diving in the Halifax harbour to see all the items the soldiers threw overboard as they disembarked.
Jim had the warmest heart and was always there to lend a hand. He saw life through his own lens and was not tied to convention. Jim loved playing practical jokes, and many people knew Jim as a jovial prankster. He was incredibly lucky in contests and undoubtedly the most famous contest winner in Cambridge. Jim won prizes frequently, some spectacular – like the trip he won to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta where they met Silken Laumann. He also won a weekend learning to drive Formula 1 race cars in Quebec, landscaping projects, a go cart, a gigantic chocolate bar, and hundreds of other prizes. He was adventurous and always loved to travel whether it was camping, cruising, or flying to visit Las Vegas, or California to visit family. He was interested in a broad array of topics and read (and clipped) an enormous amount of news articles on topics including science & nature, outer space, GCI, universities (U of T, Waterloo, Stanford) duplicate bridge, stock options, teaching, travel, poetry, economics, business, The Challenge (Globe & Mail), Las Vegas, treasure-hunting, battlefields, Mike Filey, trains and model trains, stamps, coins, tech innovation, Renée Zellweger (favourite actress), Cathy comics, Canada, Cambridge history, the British monarchy, California, pirates, mysteries, westerns, game shows (Jeopardy), gardening, and much more.
Jim also had a creative side. He was artistic and enjoyed painting and making home movies. The entire family got such joy from watching his home movies, which delightfully captured so many precious family moments.
Jim’s college education began at Victoria College at the University of Toronto (U of T) where he received his first bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He continued his studies at U of T and went on to complete a second bachelor’s degree in Education. He was involved in student government and was elected Vice President of the student council. While in college, Jim also enjoyed performing in musicals such as the Pirates of Penzance. Having a wide range of interests and affiliations he was both a Freemason at the Joseph A. Hearn Masonic Lodge 685 in Port Credit and also served as a Lieutenant in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves.
Jim began his career in education at Lyndwood Junior High School in the South Peel Board of Education, where he met Joycelyn “Joy” Adamson, his wife of 62 years. After they married, they moved to Cambridge, Ontario where Jim spent the next 25 years working for the Waterloo County Board of Education. He worked at Galt Collegiate Institute (GCI), and Forest Heights Collegiate and spent most of his career teaching math and counseling students. He was beloved by his students and made a huge impact on so many of them.
Jim and Joy were fabulous dancers and went to NYC to dance in various dance halls. They took up square dancing and thoroughly enjoyed the dances and cherished the friends they made dancing in Cambridge and later at Stoney Lake where their children and grandchildren joined in. They also curled and attended many curling bonspiels in Galt. Jim and Joy spent time volunteering and raising money for Children’s International Summer Villages (CISV), which promotes global friendship as a pathway to world peace. Their children and grandchildren made many lifelong global friends through CISV.
Once Jim retired from teaching, he and Joy devoted themselves fully to a new activity, duplicate bridge. His son, Trevor, had become a duplicate bridge Life Master in the 80’s and introduced his parents to duplicate bridge. Jim and Joy loved playing bridge and this hobby would be the focus of their next three decades. They met so many wonderful people that he and Joy decided to start a new bridge club in Cambridge. He subsequently received a 25-year Cambridge Volunteer Service Award for his tireless devotion to building the bridge community and club. Jim and Joy placed 3rd in the world in the Instant Matchpoint Game played all over the world simultaneously. Jim assisted Joy when they directed bridge-themed cruises travelling to dozens of international destinations with members of the club.
Jim was intelligent, supportive, kind, and fun-loving. He loved to host friends for card nights, and he made it a priority to teach his family various card games. All of his children have fond memories of Thanksgiving at Stoney Lake or weekend family game nights where the family played card games all night long, including the family favourite, “Ninety-nine.” Jim will be remembered by his grandchildren for teaching them “Ninety-nine,” cribbage, euchre, poker, and beginning bridge.
Jim loved watching game shows and his grandchildren would watch right alongside him. A highlight for Jim’s love of game shows was a trip to see the Price is Right for Jim’s 80th birthday at one of Bob Barker’s last recordings before his retirement.
Jim supported his children in everything they did, even when it meant making some kind of sacrifice. As much as Jim loved to see the world, he was just as excited to hear about the travels and adventures of his children and grandchildren. He will be dearly missed.
A funeral service was held at Corbett Funeral Home in Cambridge, Ontario on Friday, August 6th, 2021 at 10:30am. Interment was held the same day at the Streetsville Public Cemetery in Mississauga where Jim was laid to rest with Joy and Joy’s parents. The Cambridge Bridge Club made a significant donation to the Cambridge & District Humane Society (https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/cambridge-and-district-humane-society/) to honour Jim, Joy and his favourite dog Emily. Thank you very much to the Club for their donation. The Cambridge Bridge Club also honoured them with plaques located in the Ted Wake Centre and the David Durward Centre. The inscription on the plaques in part reads:
“She [Joy Dundas] and her husband Jim were both world-class bridge players and Jim was always there by her side to help. With the passing of both of them, it is the end of an era. They will be greatly missed.”
To sign Jim’s guest book and leave your memories, please visit https://www.legacy.com/search
