Obituaries

My first meeting with Jim was during the 1960’s when I played with the Winnipeg Jr. Rangers and the New York Rangers held some of their training camp in Winnipeg. Jim was a rookie with New York and Emile “The Cat” Francis would have the players come to our room shake hands and talk to the youngsters. Who knew my next meeting with Jim would be in the late 1980’s, early 1990’s with the Clubs Oldtimers when he would be my defence partner. Jim and I became friends and he would spend many nights at our home for supper entertaining family and friends. But their was a side to Jim many were not aware of..he loved being with the kids. In the winter Jim would pull up in his old Lincoln Continental and dressed only a light jacket, dress slacks and shoes, pull out his hockey stick and play road hockey with the kids out on the street. After this Jim would come in, entertain family and company, and then disappear downstairs with the kids. Next would come singing from downstairs as Jim and the kids knew all the songs and dialogue from “The Wizard of Oz”. The kids thought Jim was GREAT. Lost touch with Jim until recently when my oldest daughter told me she had met Jim a couple of weeks ago at HSC. Jim was heavily sedated and did not recognize her, but she remembered Jim and his visits to our home years ago. Jim was more than a great hockey player, he was also a great human being...!!!

In 1955 I arrived , along with my sister Dorothy, at St. Patrick’s Orphanage at the of 12. My mother had passed away two years prior and our father was not able to continue caring for us. I was a very scared little boy and therefore very shy. It was not long afterward that this huge guy came up to me and asked me how I was. He was very friendly and also very gentle. He made me feel welcome and gave me a sense of inclusion. His name was Jimmy Neilson and I have never forgotten how he treated this small little frightened boy. I was there for two years and Jimmy became my idol. He excelled at everything, hockey in the winter and baseball in the summer as well as leading us in saying the rosary alongside Br. A. J. Van Heck. After leaving the orphanage I followed his career and would boast to my friends while watching a Rangers game: “Hey, that’s Jimmy Neilson, he’s a friend of mine. On several occasions I tried to reconnect with him but was unable to. Now I am truly saddened that I was unable to. Jimmy was a kind and gentle person and made all those he interacted with happy that they had met him. I am glad that I met him and that we spent a moment together on our journey. James Cantwell Barrhead, Alberta P.S. I would be delighted to speak with any of his children if they so wish. (I am on Facebook)