Obituary for James Bryan Crook
To Life!…
One bad day in a life well lived…was February 15th, the day that Jim Crook passed away surrounded by family and friends.
James Bryan Crook Jr. was the only child born to Jim “Big Jim” and Irene Crook on February 4th, 1952 in Vancouver. Due to Irene’s severe postpartum depression Jim was raised by various family members for the first 2 years of his life. This was why family and friends were always so important to him. After Jim was reunited with his parents, he lived a carefree life while growing up in Southlands on the McCleery Golf Course. It was here that Jim developed his equestrian skills, getting lessons at Southlands Riding Club, in exchange for feeding the horses and mucking out the stalls. It was at their family home that he gained his love for operating heavy equipment, driving the tractor around the garden and golf course.
In grade 8 Jim and his parents moved to 7625 Kerr St., a Parks Board house bordering Fraserview where his dad was greenskeeper. It was here where the infamous South Vancouver gang of friends were forged. Killarney was never the same after the antics Jim and his close friends got into. This was where Jim’s wry sense of wit and one liners were honed. The “Crook” house was always a fond gathering place for friends and family. Jim was lucky to be surrounded by the large extended families of the Crooks and Cousineaus. To Jim his friends were his family too…they were his brothers and sisters…Dennis & Daphne, Ken, Chris & Deb, Glen & Gail, Bill & Rita, Gary & Linda and so many more!
After high school, Jim became a purchasing agent for Acorn Forest Products, but his true love was being in a seat pulling levers. He took the Operating Engineers Local 115’s heavy equipment in Prince George and never looked back. He became adept at operating several pieces of equipment, loader, scraper, backhoe, bulldozer, grader… The earth was his canvas and he loved its creative challenge! For a number of years he worked out of the union hall but took a break by becoming owner operator for E-Mar Construction and Jim’s Bobcat Service. Feast or famine and the responsibility of a young family, Jim then went to work for the City of Burnaby as the grader operator. Jim left a lasting impression on many of his Burnaby coworkers with his dry humour and zest for life. Then Jim got an opportunity of a lifetime, becoming the earth moving instructor for the Operating Engineers. He loved being a teacher and mentor, taking great pride in turning out accomplished operators. Later he joined the professional team of Ives Training. His humour and dedication to his craft made him a respected instructor in the heavy equipment field. The end of his career was spent at Lafarge, again happily moving levers but also to build up his pension for retirement.
Although Jim enjoyed running heavy equipment, his greatest joy was his family. Jim met Cathy (Bauer) in 1980 and married her on December 28th, 1985. They had two sons, Brodie James and Kevin John. Both boys were the “apples of his eye”. He enjoyed being husband, dad and mentor. Jim was always involved with his sons’ sports by being assistant coach, manager, scheduler, or gate keeper…
Evenings and weekends were taken up with soccer, lacrosse and baseball in Coquitlam and Port Moody.
The greatest joy he had with his friends and family were the numerous times spent at the family’s Loon Lake cabin. Like his father, Jim also kept the tradition of teaching Brodie and Kevin the joys of fishing and hunting. There was more to life than computers and gaming, the joy of the outdoors was taught not only to his sons but to the sons of other close friends. Jim was very proud of the men his sons came to be. Brodie took after Jim’s dad by working on the tugs, while Kevin became a red sealed electrician.
In retirement, travel, Loon Lake, older hot rod vehicles, and feeding his hummingbirds filled his days. Unfortunately, Jim was given the devastating news that he had stage 4 prostate cancer. It was a big shock since 8 months prior he got a clean bill of health from his yearly check up. He joked about his aggressive form of cancer, “go big or go home” or “bad to the bone”. Jim never let his cancer defeat him trying many “out of the box” treatments. He never let the big C hold him back in life. For two years Jim traveled with family and friends, spent time renovating the lake after the fire, and even got to race his Malibu at the new Cache Creek drag strip. Although Jim’s health deteriorated mid January, he never gave up hope, continuing to plan for the future. He was not going to let the cancer take him. On his final day it was a “major event” that physically claimed him, not the cancer!
Jim will be greatly missed by Cathy (his angel), Brodie (Natasha), Kevin (Marije), and numerous friends and family. There was never a dull moment with Jim around! He was always the life of the party with his humour and infamous one liners. It was often said he missed his true calling in life of becoming a comedy writer. Fortunately all of those who knew Jim got to experience and appreciate his quick wry wit. We know that the spirit of Jim will continue to entertain us in our hearts and memories “all night long”. “Thank you Port Moody”!!!!!
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Jim's Celebration of Life has been postponed and will be determined at a later time.
Thank you.
One bad day in a life well lived…was February 15th, the day that Jim Crook passed away surrounded by family and friends.
James Bryan Crook Jr. was the only child born to Jim “Big Jim” and Irene Crook on February 4th, 1952 in Vancouver. Due to Irene’s severe postpartum depression Jim was raised by various family members for the first 2 years of his life. This was why family and friends were always so important to him. After Jim was reunited with his parents, he lived a carefree life while growing up in Southlands on the McCleery Golf Course. It was here that Jim developed his equestrian skills, getting lessons at Southlands Riding Club, in exchange for feeding the horses and mucking out the stalls. It was at their family home that he gained his love for operating heavy equipment, driving the tractor around the garden and golf course.
In grade 8 Jim and his parents moved to 7625 Kerr St., a Parks Board house bordering Fraserview where his dad was greenskeeper. It was here where the infamous South Vancouver gang of friends were forged. Killarney was never the same after the antics Jim and his close friends got into. This was where Jim’s wry sense of wit and one liners were honed. The “Crook” house was always a fond gathering place for friends and family. Jim was lucky to be surrounded by the large extended families of the Crooks and Cousineaus. To Jim his friends were his family too…they were his brothers and sisters…Dennis & Daphne, Ken, Chris & Deb, Glen & Gail, Bill & Rita, Gary & Linda and so many more!
After high school, Jim became a purchasing agent for Acorn Forest Products, but his true love was being in a seat pulling levers. He took the Operating Engineers Local 115’s heavy equipment in Prince George and never looked back. He became adept at operating several pieces of equipment, loader, scraper, backhoe, bulldozer, grader… The earth was his canvas and he loved its creative challenge! For a number of years he worked out of the union hall but took a break by becoming owner operator for E-Mar Construction and Jim’s Bobcat Service. Feast or famine and the responsibility of a young family, Jim then went to work for the City of Burnaby as the grader operator. Jim left a lasting impression on many of his Burnaby coworkers with his dry humour and zest for life. Then Jim got an opportunity of a lifetime, becoming the earth moving instructor for the Operating Engineers. He loved being a teacher and mentor, taking great pride in turning out accomplished operators. Later he joined the professional team of Ives Training. His humour and dedication to his craft made him a respected instructor in the heavy equipment field. The end of his career was spent at Lafarge, again happily moving levers but also to build up his pension for retirement.
Although Jim enjoyed running heavy equipment, his greatest joy was his family. Jim met Cathy (Bauer) in 1980 and married her on December 28th, 1985. They had two sons, Brodie James and Kevin John. Both boys were the “apples of his eye”. He enjoyed being husband, dad and mentor. Jim was always involved with his sons’ sports by being assistant coach, manager, scheduler, or gate keeper…
Evenings and weekends were taken up with soccer, lacrosse and baseball in Coquitlam and Port Moody.
The greatest joy he had with his friends and family were the numerous times spent at the family’s Loon Lake cabin. Like his father, Jim also kept the tradition of teaching Brodie and Kevin the joys of fishing and hunting. There was more to life than computers and gaming, the joy of the outdoors was taught not only to his sons but to the sons of other close friends. Jim was very proud of the men his sons came to be. Brodie took after Jim’s dad by working on the tugs, while Kevin became a red sealed electrician.
In retirement, travel, Loon Lake, older hot rod vehicles, and feeding his hummingbirds filled his days. Unfortunately, Jim was given the devastating news that he had stage 4 prostate cancer. It was a big shock since 8 months prior he got a clean bill of health from his yearly check up. He joked about his aggressive form of cancer, “go big or go home” or “bad to the bone”. Jim never let his cancer defeat him trying many “out of the box” treatments. He never let the big C hold him back in life. For two years Jim traveled with family and friends, spent time renovating the lake after the fire, and even got to race his Malibu at the new Cache Creek drag strip. Although Jim’s health deteriorated mid January, he never gave up hope, continuing to plan for the future. He was not going to let the cancer take him. On his final day it was a “major event” that physically claimed him, not the cancer!
Jim will be greatly missed by Cathy (his angel), Brodie (Natasha), Kevin (Marije), and numerous friends and family. There was never a dull moment with Jim around! He was always the life of the party with his humour and infamous one liners. It was often said he missed his true calling in life of becoming a comedy writer. Fortunately all of those who knew Jim got to experience and appreciate his quick wry wit. We know that the spirit of Jim will continue to entertain us in our hearts and memories “all night long”. “Thank you Port Moody”!!!!!
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Jim's Celebration of Life has been postponed and will be determined at a later time.
Thank you.