James SNOWDON

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SNOWDON: James "Jamie" David. On Monday, April 10, 2017, Jamie, beloved husband of Rene and father to Ryker, passed away peacefully with family by his side. Jamie was born October 4, 1959 to Mary and Gerald Snowdon, and raised on the family farm between Oak River and Rivers, Manitoba. Many fun filled years were spent there with his older brother Bob, younger sister Cindy, and younger brother Mike. Jamie had fond memories of the adventures they shared while completing farm chores, taking care of the family pets, riding mini bikes, and playing with friends. Life on the farm is where Jamie developed a strong work ethic and his love of working on cars and motorcycles. Jamie went to school in Oak River from grade 1-8 and then to Rivers Collegiate for grades 9-12. During his high school years, he met many people who would become lifelong friends. Jamie always fondly recalled the hijinks he and his pals would get up to. High school was also the time that he got his first of many cars. A 1957 Custom Royal also known as "the boat". Cindy and Mike could always count on Jamie for a ride into town or a ride home in "the boat". After high school, Jamie worked on the family farm and at several car dealerships as a mechanic. He then headed out west to Grande Prairie, AB, working as a lumberjack for about six months. Deciding his preference was for mechanical work, he worked to receive his 2nd level Mechanic ticket. Jamie then began working at Loveseth Industries, returning to Manitoba in 1980. He worked at Karl's German Import Center and later at Brandon Chrysler Dodge, where he continued for over 10 years. In 1994, Jamie joined his father and his brother Mike, at Snowdon Equipment. Jamie embraced the daily challenges that came with working on heavy equipment. His mechanical creativity shone as he often machined and manufactured parts that were required to fix an outdated or unique piece of equipment. Taking something almost impossible to fix and bringing it back to working order alongside his dad and brother was a challenge he enjoyed. The lively daily conversation around the lunch table with family was another highlight. When he wasn't working, Jamie could be found savoring a good cup of coffee with friends. In the early years, a few favourite stops were Chicken Delight or Triffon's on 10th Street. Later on it became Starbucks. His day wasn't complete without his favourite coffee "Tall bold, two raw sugar, cream on the side". Jamie and Rene started dating in 1992 and were married in August 2002. They had 25 wonderful years together taking pleasure in the simple things in life. Jamie enjoyed working alongside Rene doing home renovations and creating a beautiful backyard where many summer evenings were spent with friends around the fire pit. They looked forward to hosting several annual Christmas parties for friends that often entailed some heated and engaging games of trivia. Motorcycle adventures were always favourite times together which took them around the province, and to Sturgis, South Dakota. In July 2008, their son Ryker was born. Ryker was the light of Jamie's life. Jamie loved being a dad. He was always ready to read or tell stories to Ryker, play games, or build with Lego. Jamie shared his love of all things mechanical and scientific with Ryker from an early age. They spent hours playing with Lego, moving from simple block towers to more complex structures and into simple machines. If not doing something mechanical, the two could be found doing some kind of science experiment. Saturday and Sunday mornings were spent in the kitchen making homemade volcanos, wind speed measuring devices, or some other experiment. This often included taking apart old broken clocks or radios to investigate how they worked and on some occasions even repairing them to working order. During the school year, Jamie loved being at home to make and share lunch with Ryker and being there to greet him at the end of the day. After school, Jamie and Ryker could be found heading to the park on Jamie's scooter. There they would stay until Rene came to round them up for supper. Jamie truly enjoyed every minute of being a dad. Jamie was a wonderful husband, father, and friend. With a constant smile on his face, he was ready to help family or friend. He will always be remembered for his kind heart, quick wit, strong work ethic, love of time spent with family and friends, and his ability to appreciate the little things in life. Jamie will be missed and lovingly remembered by his wife Rene and son Ryker; mother Mary Snowdon, brother Bob (Tanis) Snowdon, sister Cindy (Darcy) Chateau, brother Mike Snowdon; grandmother Barbara Martens; father-in-law Richard Thompson; sister-in-law Lisa (Brent) Mendella; nieces and nephews Aaron, Ashlin (Anne), Ainsley (Jonathan), Stacy (Josh), Crystal, Amanda (Brian), and Taryn, numerous great nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles. He was predeceased by his father Gerald Snowdon and his mother-in-law Margaret Thompson. The Ceremony to Celebrate Jamie's Life took place at Central United Church on Monday, April 24, 2017. A private committal followed at the Brandon Cemetery. Donations in memory of Jamie may be made to the Ryker Snowdon Education Trust Fund, c/o Westoba Credit Union (any branch). Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.memorieschapel.com

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 29, 2017