James PURKIS

Jim left us suddenly on Thursday, May 30 after having dinner with the love of his life, Nancy. Predeceased by his parents Eleanor and Joe Purkis, his brother John, and son-in-law Michael, Jim leaves behind his beloved family, his extraordinary life partner and wife of 60 years, Nancy, daughter Julie, son Michael, daughter-in-law Lauren, and his most adored grandchildren and buddies Turner, Joey, Mason, Finn, Ben, Kate and Tommy, to whom he was the very best Hiya. He will be greatly missed by his Purkis, Turner, Smith, Minhinnick, and Doan families, his loyal friends, and of course, his four-legged pal, Rufus. Jim established himself in the Canadian menswear world after buying Caulfeild, Burns and Gibson with his brother. Starting with years of selling socks, pyjamas & bathrobes, they later engaged with international companies and took on distribution for popular brands like Gant, Head Sportswear, Izod, Cutter & Buck, and Joe Boxer. He was a strong, successful leader, growing the business into a multimillion-dollar organization while always ensuring a supportive and empathetic workplace for his team. While he was extremely accomplished in business, Jim's greatest successes were as a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend. At home with his family, he shared his love and wisdom, supporting Nancy and the kids in their endeavors and ensuring they had a safe, comfortable life until his last day. In fact, he and Nancy brought their last box of belongings to their new home on the day he left us, ensuring Nancy was settled, safe and looked after. While we could write paragraphs about Jim, suffice it to say that he loved his family and friends without boundaries and will be missed by many. There is a huge gap in our world today and we are devastated that he has left us, however we are grateful that he lived such a fulfilling life of adventure, family, friendship, and love. Please join us to celebrate a life well lived on Friday, June 14 from 3 to 6 PM at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club, 5407 Regional Road 25, Milton, ON. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Kerr Street Mission in Jim's honour. www.kerrstreet.com