James Arthur Britton, 83, of Issaquah, WA passed away on June 3, 2023 of cancer. Jim remained sharp through his later years, continuing to read veraciously, and engaging in the news, sports, and world events of the day.

Jim was born February 17, 1940, in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Canada, the son of (Anna) Lillie Johnson and Charles Britton. He was an excellent student, he graduated from Prince Albert Collegiate Institute and then attended University of Saskatchewan having earned a Navy League scholarship.

Jim married Sharon “Chick” Shore, of Prince Albert, and started a family in 1961. With two young boys, Brendan and Graydon, and due to limited prospects in their hometown, Jim and Sharon moved to Regina where they had their third son, Robert.

Jim worked hard his entire life, from delivering papers as a kid, to working as an usher at the Orpheum theater, to his long and successful career in Personnel Management and Labor Relations.

With the move to Regina, he launched his professional career as personnel manager for Kalium Chemicals. At the time Kalium was a new Potash plant. Jim gained incredible experience managing the needs of hiring out an entirely new operation.

From Regina Jim moved his family to North Vancouver, British Columbia in 1970 where he worked for West Coast Transmission.

The next stop was a move to Surrey, BC where he joined Gearmatic.

In Surrey he helped his young boys with their baseball and boxing endeavors. He had a beautiful 10-acre property where his boys could run wild, and his wife raised chickens.

His success at Gearmatic lead to a significant promotion to the corporate office of Paccar in 1976. The promotion meant a move across the border to Bellevue, WA and Jim eventually became a citizen of the United States. At Paccar Jim engaged in contract negotiations and labor relations for manufacturing plants in the U.S., Canada, and England.

Jim was successful in his chosen career. Luckily, he did not choose to be an electrician. Once when repairing the clothes dryer, he accidentally held the bare ends of a new 240-watt power cord while he plugged it in the outlet to make sure it would fit. He survived that one.

Jim loved to play golf. He loved to follow sports be it hockey, baseball, boxing, golf, Canadian or U.S. Football. He was politically minded and held strong views.

Jim had many great and lasting friendships that he maintained across many miles and many decades. Even at the age of eighty-three he maintained close bonds with his high school buddies and friendships earned throughout his career.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife of fifty-seven years; his parents Charles and Lillie; and his three brothers: Hubert, Lindsay, and Graydon.

Jim is survived by three sons: Brendan, Graydon, and Robert; his three grandkids: Max, Bailey, and Jocelyn; and nine great grand kids.

A Celebration of Life will take place later this year in Utah where Jim’s eldest son, Brendan, as well as his grand-kids and great-grand kids reside.

Thank you for being Jim’s friend. I hope he will see you again someday

• Date : 2023-06-03