James JosephCHAPMANFebruary 4, 1937 - February 12, 2022 Jim passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at Lions Gate Hospital on Saturday, 12th February after recently celebrating his 85th birthday. Jim grew up on the hardscrabble streets of Birkenhead on Merseyside, England. As an exceptional rugby player while at school at St. Anselm's in Birkenhead, he had a chance to play professionally, but chose instead to join the Royal Air Force. His childhood sweetheart Angela had moved from the family home in the Great Float public house on the Birkenhead docks to New York to seek fame as an actress, Jim left the Air Force to chase her down in the Big Apple and convinced her to marry him. They moved back to England and settled in Meols on the Wirral as Jim started a career in advertising with the Liverpool Echo and had three children before deciding the future lay back in North America. In 1974 they moved to Vancouver where Jim took a job with the Vancouver Sun and Province and built a West Coast Birkenhead family with fellow Merseyside transplants the Blakes, the Grahams, the Ogdens and the Hughes. Jim and Angela fell in love with the area, settling in their treasured Deep Cove. Jim put down deep roots in the community, coaching football, being a valued parish member of St. Pius Church and taking up sailing as a member of Deep Cove Yacht Club. Angela passed away in 2003, and Jim spent the rest of his days enjoying his home with the view of the ocean that he loved so much and debating the fortunes of his beloved Everton. He is survived by his children Annemarie (Robin Creamore), Paul (Leanne) and Aisling, his cherished granddaughters Fiona and Scarlet, numerous nieces, nephews, and many friends. In lieu of flowers, please find yourself an ice-cold beer, raise it to the sky and toast Jim and his cheeky, memorable smile. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, March 12 at 11am, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1150 Mt. Seymour Road, North Vancouver, BC.
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