Jim was born on July 1^st, 1951, in Rose Valley, SK to Elmer and Florence (nee Lovdahl) Carlson. With his older sister Carol and a younger brother Dale. Jim enjoyed life on the farm for his first four years. The family moved into Rose Valley when Florence went back to teaching.

Jim did well in school and showed his musical ability early on. He played piano and organ for over fifty weddings, plus many other events such as anniversaries and funerals over the years. He could change a song to a higher or lower key in minutes. He sang in Zion Lutheran Church choir, and later with the Saskatoon Barbershop Chorus and a barbershop quartet. Jim was a troop leader with the Rose Valley Boy Scouts. Led by Martin Lambert, they went on many memorable canoe and camping trips.

Jim went on to get a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Registered Nurse diploma, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Some of his various summer jobs were at a farm service center, a meat packing plant, and as a guide at Batoche. Jim taught the registered nursing program at SIAST in Saskatoon for several years, worked for Northern Health, for Nightingale Nursing group, for one year in Abha, Saudi Arabia, as a nursing instructor, then seven years manning the health clinic in Pinehouse Lake and many years teaching the LPN program at the Prince Albert campus. Oh, the stories he could tell!

One year, Jim got a “Round the World” ticket and visited Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, and England visiting friends and family along the way. He accompanied Uncle Oscar to visit relatives in Minnesota. Jim and Terry visited Puerto Vallarta many times, Florida, Kansas, a month in Romania, and a month in Sweden, where they stayed with mom’s cousins Kurt and Rigmor. They shared an interest in family history and connections. Jim loved fishing! Jim and Terry did a lot of camping and fishing. They also spent a lot of years tending to and enjoying the cabin at Greenwater Lake. He also had a green thumb. We said he inherited Grandma Lovdahl’s love of gardening, especially flowers. Jim’s begonias were always gorgeous!

Jim was a memorable person. He was talented, caring, generous, witty, with a wicked sense of humor. Unfortunately, in his later years, the disease of alcoholism took over. Along with other ailments, he struggled each day. All through this, however, his faith in God stayed true. Jim went into the hospital on Wednesday and died the next morning on Thursday, September 22^nd.

Jim will be lovingly remembered by his sister Carol (Steve) Lane of Tisdale, SK; his brother Dale (Glenda) of Norton, Kansas; his nieces and nephews Liam (Amanda) Lane, Maia, Rhees, Lief (Shannon), and Neysa Carlson; his aunt Alice Carlson; Terry’s children Anna (Kevin), Nick, and Elizabeth Bekolay; & Terry’s grandchildren Gabriel and Alastair Nicholson; as well as numerous cousins and friends.

Jim was predeceased by his partner Terry Bekolay (2016); his mother Florence (2013); his father Elmer (2016); as well as aunts, uncles, and three cousins.

For those unable to attend the Funeral Service, it was live-streamed and may be viewed at: https://youtu.be/9dcrbSgNJaU. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate in Jim’s memory to SPCA Prince Albert, Rose Garden Hospice, or the Canadian Cancer Society. A come-and-go visitation for Jim will take place on Thursday, September 29, 2022, at MacKenzie Chapel, 130 9th Street East Prince Albert at 7:00 pm. The funeral for Jim will take place Friday, September 30, 2022, at MacKenzie Chapel, 130 9th Street East Prince Albert at 1:00 pm. Condolences can be sent to the family on our website at www.mackenziechapel.ca.  Arrangements in care of MacKenzie Chapel & Crematorium.  Brian & Bev Stobbs, Mark Gyoerick – Mel Curle. 306.763.8488.

• Date : 2022-09-22
• Location : Prince Albert, SK