James Arthur MILLARD

MILLARD, James Arthur Q. C. August 27, 1931 - Calgary, AB April 20, 2014 - Calgary, AB

Jim died peacefully at home after a brief illness, in the presence of family, on Easter morning. Born in Elbow Park, son of Muriel and Arthur Millard, he was raised, and lived his whole life, near the banks of the Elbow River in Calgary. Jim once described himself as 'a very mossy stone because I have rolled literally nowhere since then.' Nonetheless, his many interests and abilities took him to mountain peaks, art galleries, and cycling routes on virtually every continent, over an active and adventurous lifetime.
He will be greatly missed by wife, Barbara Knechtel, daughters, Joanne (Juven Duarte) and Laura (Tim Milligan), son, Matthew (Jen Rowley), grandsons, Cole, Jonah and Noah Millard, and also by Barbara's children, Peter (Susan) Knechtel, Dan (Hilary) Knechtel, Claire Knechtel (Dave O'Hara) and grandchildren. He is fondly remembered by his sister, Ellen Ann (Dickie), her children, Jim Devonshire and Suzanne Devonshire-Baker, and his great-nieces and nephews. Also missing his companionship and daily walks in the Sandy Beach area is his faithful canine friend Tye.
'Gentleman Jim' will be remembered and missed by many in his wide circle of acquaintance for his kindness, generosity with his time and expertise, and his encyclopedic knowledge of arcane facts, crossword puzzle definitions, and literary quotes. He was an eloquent speaker, witty writer, and entertaining teller of jokes. He was also gracious, generous of spirit, and was never heard to utter an unkind word about others.
Jim remained lifelong friends with his classmates from Elbow Park School and from the University of Alberta, where he graduated with an LLB in 1954. He also counted among his friends his colleagues from MacKimmie Matthews, the law firm where he began articling two days after graduation, became a partner, was appointed Queen's Counsel, and practiced corporate, commercial, and securities law until his retirement in 1999. He served on the Alberta Securities Commission from 2001 to 2007, an experience that he found very rewarding.
Many of Jim's friends have described him as a 'Renaissance man' He was an accomplished artist, whose watercolour and oil paintings of southern Alberta and the Rockies are held in both private and corporate collections. He was also an avid horseman, skier, mountaineer, and tennis player, an ambivalent golfer, a racehorse co-owner, published author, teacher of art, and the lucky charm of his grandsons' championship-winning pee-wee hockey team, who never lost a game when he was in attendance.
Above all, Jim was a loving spouse, father, brother, grandfather, and uncle, a man of integrity who experienced, and brought, much joy in life.
A Celebration of Jim's Life will be held at the Calgary Golf and Country Club (1 1/2 blocks west of the intersection of Elbow Drive S.W. and 50 Ave SW, Calgary, AB) on Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.
In living memory of Jim Millard, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W. Calgary, AB, T2S 2L5, Telephone: 1-800-661-1599.