Jim Watson

May 26, 1914 - December 12, 2009

Our beloved friend and fellow Rotarian Jim Watson passed away on Saturday December 12.  Jim suffered a stroke following a traffic accident in the fall and his condition has been deteriorating for the last few weeks.  He enjoyed hospital visits from many of our Club members but especially his fellow nonagenarian Howard Miller.  Howard communicated his love and hope for Jim in his final days by tenderly holding his hand.

Jim's wife Babs passed away in October of 2002.  They enjoyed 57 years together raising their daughter Lorraine and son Jim; and seeing their family, grand children and great-grand-children carry on their zest for life.  Although Jim led a very active and healthy life for the past seven years he always had a sadness in his heart following Babs' passing.

Jim was born in Vancouver May 26, 1914.  He was a good athlete playing baseball, badminton and golf. He bought his first set of golf clubs in 1936 and used his original "Promade" putter to proudly "shoot his age" this past summer.  Jim's forty-four year career in the Bakery Business started in 1933 with Robertson Bakery in Vancouver at a salary of $6 per week.  He was with the General Bakeries group of companies (later McGavins) for thirty-three years and was transferred to Calgary in 1959 as Sales Manager of the Palace Bakery.  Jim saw the opportunity to establish a pie manufacturing company in Calgary for the simple reason that "everybody loves pies."  He started the Rotary Pie Company in Calgary in 1966, soon renaming it the iconic Watson Pie Company.  He baked 300 pies his first day in business giving them to schools, restaurants and stores as a promotion.  It worked!  Everybody loved Jim’s pies and daily volume  soon grew to 4,000 pies making the company profitable in its first year of operation.  Eleven years later in 1977 Jim sold the company to a group of accountants and retired from the baking business.

Jim answered the call to arms in 1943 and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.  He did basic training at MacDonald, Manitoba, officer training at Mountainview, Ontario and commando training in Calgary.  He became a bombing and gunnery instructor and saw active service in Lancaster bombers in the European Theatre.  When hostilities ended in Europe Jim and his Lancaster crew volunteered for service in the Pacific Theatre and were dispatched home for a short leave.  He got off the train in Winnipeg August 13, 1945 to a warm reunion with his sweetheart Babs whom he had met during his training.  They were married the next day, the same day the Japanese surrendered.  Jim left the Air Force with the rank of Flying Officer and returned to his career in the baking business.

Rotary life began for Jim and Babs in 1961.  Jim was introduced to The Rotary Club of Manchester by Jack Barberie, Manager of General Bakeries, and was inducted May 14, 1961.  He served as Club President in 1977-1978 and was proud of the fact that the Dream Home Lottery started in his year and the garage sale met its demise.  He was also instrumental in reviving the Radium Fellowship and Golf Weekend that our members have enjoyed for many years.

Jim Watson always believed that Calgary South was "the Best Club in Rotary."  He will be long remembered as an architect, leader and builder who helped make his Club "the Best Club in Rotary."

Rest in Peace Jim.