Obituary of James Anthony Diaz

Diaz James Anthony Diaz born February 2, 1928 in Poona India, died November 20, 2008 in London, Ontario. Dear son of Francis and Rachel Dias (deceased). Loving brother to Alice, Charles, Cyril, Lucy (deceased), Olive (deceased), Tom and Gertrude. Beloved husband of Joan (Quinless), honoured father of Kristine (Ken Fanni) London, Floyd (Wendy Millar) Durham, North Carolina, Michelle Toronto and Robert (Tammy Fitzsimons) Victoria British Columbia. Treasured Papa to Alexander, Michael, David Fanni; Amy, Sebastian, Christopher Diaz; Spencer and Hunter Diaz. Remembered by Allan, Jackie, Fredrick, Madge, Ryan, Brendan Quinless, the Robinson family and many nieces and nephews in India. James lived his life to the fullest; starting his adventures in Burma as a tail gunner for the Royal Indian Air Force at the tender age of 15 years. He schooled in England and worked for Air India as a Radio Engineer. In 1956 he married the love of his life, Joan, and persuaded her to emigrate to Canada in 1966. Here he settled in Burlington, Ontario where he worked for the Federal Government at the Canada Center for Inland Waters. He was a passionate and long suffering fan of the Maple Leafs, and he took great joy in watching first his sons, and then his grandchildren compete in a variety of sports. One of his greatest wishes was to see the Arctic, and it is fitting that there is a plaque bearing his name on the Trans Canada Trail in Tuktoyaktuk, North West Territories. Our family circle is broken but his spirit lives on through his children and grandchildren who honoured him and his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary in 2006. Through his example, James taught his family that through hard work and integrity, there are no bounds to what one could achieve in their lives. No flowers please donations to the L.H.S.C. Foundation to support the University Hospital Intensive Care Unit nursing staff who demonstrated compassion and skill while caring for him. James had many years of living life to the fullest and for that we thank his patron saint, Saint Anthony. Visitors will be received at John T. Donohue Funeral Home, 362 Waterloo Street at King Street, London, on Friday evening from 7-9 o'clock. Funeral Mass at St. Martin of Tours Church, 46 Cathcart Street, London, on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock. Interment in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Burlington at a later date. Online condolences may be forwarded to donohue@donohuefuneralhome.ca.