JAMES EDWARD THURSTON

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of James (Jim) Edward THURSTON on Saturday, February 11, 2023; he was 65 years old. Jim was a very proud son, husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather. He cherished his family more than anything and couldn’t have been prouder of his three beautiful grandkids. Jim was the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back, always wanting to help and give guidance. He spared no expense when it came to providing for his family.
He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years Carol (Bauer), son Jimmy (Aggy Przybyla), three grandchildren Otylia, Julia and Henry, his sister Barbara (Leigh) Spicer, brothers Keith, Gerry (Sharon), Ray (Bonnie), sister-in-law Gwen Thurston, mother-in-law Else Bauer, sister-in-law Susan (Gene) Popadynetz, brother-in-law Ron (Lorraine) Bauer, numerous nieces and nephews and their families.
Jim was predeceased by his father, Purvis (Pete), his mother Irene (Mockler), his brother Michael his grandparents, aunts and uncles and father-in-law Peter (Irene) Bauer.
Jim was born and raised in Edmonton, attended school at St. Bede’s St. Gabriel’s, Austin O’Brien and NAIT. He and his brothers loved playing road hockey, ice hockey, football and getting into general brotherly mischief. He was on the high school football team and even played in a game with the former Edmonton Eskimos.
Jim enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces September 11, 1975 and served with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry for 32 years retiring in December 2007 achieving the rank of Master Warrant Officer. He was posted to Calgary, Wainwright, Victoria and Edmonton. He went on several tours of duty, including Cyprus (1978, 1984, 1991), Croatia (1993, 1994), Bosnia (2000), Afghanistan (2002), Sierra Leone (2006) and right here at home (1976 Montreal Olympics, floods & forest fire support). Jim developed many faithful friendships throughout his military career that extended beyond retirement. They loved reminiscing and sharing stories of their time together. Once a Patricia, Always a Patricia    
When his military career was complete, Jim went to work with Atco Frontec in Afghanistan, Suncor in Fort McMurray and lastly with the Corp of Commissionaires leading a security team at the Goldbar Wastewater Treatment Plant until he retired in November 2021.
Jim and Carol loved to travel and saw a lot of the world — New York, Las Vegas, Hawaii, California, Dubai, all over Europe especially Germany, Austria, Italy, France, London, a Christmas Markets River cruise and their last trip was to Spain, Portugal, & Morocco.
Thank you to the medical team who took such good care of Jim over the years, Dr Allan Murray, Dr Niall Jones, Dr Adeleye Adebayo, Dr Dale Lien and the Lung Transplant Team at the University of Alberta Hospital.
To honor Jim’s wishes, there will not be a funeral service, but we are planning to have a Celebration of Life for him in a few weeks. Arrangements are still to be confirmed.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alberta Kidney Foundation or the Alberta Lung Association, or consider organ donation (https://organtissuedonation.ca/en). Jim had a kidney transplant in 2013; it was life-changing for him.