James Edward Findlay BRYCE

September 5, 1940 – December 27, 2016

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) James Edward Findlay Bryce CD Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Jim passed away peacefully in his sleep after a long and courageous battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. At the end, he was surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by Rita, his wife of 53 years, son Jim (Onon), daughter Margaret (John), son Robert (Heather), daughter Katherine (Krysia), and seven grandchildren, Madeline, Jeremy, Sara, Jessica, Peggy, Lucy and Arvai. He is predeceased by his brother Ian and survived by his brothers Findlay (Pearl) and Sandy, and many nieces and nephews. A true officer and gentleman, Jim started his military service as a reservist in the Lorne Scots. He transferred to the Regular Force in 1960 and was trained as an artillery officer on the OCP Course 60 – 61. He received a superb grounding for a wonderful career and a relationship with the other 16 graduates that made them family rather than friends. Jim served the guns in Canada and Northwestern Europe with 4RCHA, 2RCHA and 1SSM Battery. He later became an Instructor of Gunnery (IG) at the Royal Canadian School of Artillery in Shilo, Manitoba. He represented Canada as an IG at the Royal School of Artillery in Larkhill, England. Jim served in many staff appointments in NDHQ and was the Director of Land Requirements. Due to his outstanding leadership, he was put in charge of recruiting for central Canada, where he inducted many new members into the Canadian Armed Forces. Jim was the Past President of the Royal Canadian Artillery Association, Past President of the Ontario Gunners Association, and a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. After retirement, Jim had the distinction of being appointed the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel for 42nd Field Regiment RCA. He was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Never content to sit idle, he contributed until his final months to Volume Three of The Gunners of Canada. Jim was a loving husband and a very supportive father, grandfather, and friend. He always maintained that he was able to have such a good career and life due to the support of his wife Rita, “RB,” with whom he guided his children through to fulfilling careers. The family would like to thank the support of the palliative care teams through Veterans Affairs, especially Denise Ballerman, and the caring staff at CCAC, Bayshore Home Health, and Central West Hospice Ottawa. Friends are invited to gather in the Sacred Space of the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Ave. (east of Vanier Parkway) on Tuesday January 3, after 12 noon. Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m. followed by interment at the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces. In lieu of flowers, donations to the RCA Heritage Fund would be appreciated. “The thing is . . .” we will miss him terribly.