JAMES HOWARD CURRIE

CURRIE, James Howard
A dedicated public servant (1934-1984)
An exceptional man and a generous, humble, kind soul passed away of natural causes, at age 97, on September 12, 2014. Howard´s loving presence, kind heart, gentle manner and steadfast patience will be deeply missed. A true gentleman, caring for his family and friends, giving freely of his time and of himself, marvelling at nature and all its creatures. His professionalism and sense of humour were known by all who worked with him over the many years of his long and respected career as a federal public servant. He will be fondly remembered as a wonderful neighbour and friend by all those who had the privilege to know him. For over six decades, Dad lovingly maintained our home as a welcoming place for all members of the family and their friends. His thirst for knowledge was unquenchable, and his memory for people, places and things was outstanding. He had a love for music, especially classical, and held season's tickets for the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he enjoyed attending shows at the Orpheus Operatic Society and listening to radio broadcasts of Don Messer and the Islanders from PEI. His passion for life was boundless - he loved animals, nature, people, gardening, swimming, walking, skating and bicycle riding. As a skilled handyman, he could often be found tinkering around our house, inside or out. He marvelled at the way technology was taking over the world. Every single day, he awoke with a goal in mind, big or small. He could regale you with stories from his past, as if they just happened yesterday, and he could recite poems he learned in school, word for word. His working life required travelling to many countries and, once retired, he and Mom visited Portugal every winter for a well deserved vacation.Throughout the years, he was interested in local and community affairs, serving from time to time as an officer in a few voluntary organizations. For his dedication, he received citations and was awarded honorary lifetime memberships. Howard was predeceased in 2007 by our cherished mother, his beloved wife of 58 years, Connie, as well as his three sisters, Kathleen, Louella and Lois. He is survived by his half sister, Diane Lance (Don), and his children, Nancy, Paul (Patty), Colleen (Tim), Claudia (George), Janet (Joe) and Ian (Catherine), as well as his treasured grandchildren, Lauren, Stacey, Brantford, Brooklyn, Alexandra, Jessica, Hannah and Nathan, all of whom are very grateful to have inherited their senses of humour and compassion from him and Mom. As a family, we spent a lot of time together laughing. Howard enjoyed a 50 year career in the federal public service. He served for several years as the honorary Secretary of the Official Side of the National Joint Council of the Public Service of Canada, which considered policies and practices in government employment. His crowning achievement was the creation of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety. He was the founding Chairman of the Council of Governors and has had the distinct honour of having a boardroom in the CCOHS Headquarters in Hamilton, Ontario named after him. He took great pride in the fact that the framework they created for the safety and health of workers in Canada is used as a template by many countries around the world, as are its educational services. He actively participated in the development of standards and services in this general field produced by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in Geneva, Switzerland. In respect of Howard´s wishes, a funeral will not take place and a private family gathering will be held to honour him and to celebrate his long and remarkable life. In lieu of flowers, Howard would have been pleased with a donation in his name to an organization whose efforts benefit nature and the welfare of animals.