Obituary of Mr. James Shantora

James (Jim ) Shantora, Q.C, P.Eng

February 29, 1932 - March 17, 2021

It is with great sadness that the family of James (Jim) Shantora announce his passing on March 17^th, 2021 from cancer, at the Sunnybrook Palliative Unit.

Jim was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Kathleen Burrows Shantora (2020) and his son Barry (1999).  He was the beloved father of Kathy (Keith Nelles) and Susan (Chuck Rockwell) and a loving grandfather to Laura, Kellianne, and Trevor Nelles, Beverley, Diana, and Olivia Rockwell and Elisabeth Shantora. He will be sorely missed by his brother Vic (Barbara) Shantora and his in-laws, Kathryn Shantora, Marilyn Burrows and Lorna Burrows, and his nieces, nephews, and his few, but exceptionally good, friends.

Jim, a Czech, arrived in Canada with his parents from Poland in the summer of 1939. After spending the war years in Manitoba, Jim and his parents moved to Toronto and spent a year in the Queen and Bathurst area before buying a farm on Birchmount Rd in Agincourt. Jim attended Agincourt High School where he met his future wife Kathleen before heading off to the Royal Military College in Victoria and Kingston. The RMC motto of Truth, Duty, Valour describes the family Jim came from and how he lived his life. 

Jim became a Professional Engineer and worked on radar and communications projects for the Federal Government. In 1963, Jim attended Osgoode Law School and became a lawyer. He worked for the Province of Ontario on the Solandt commission, as Director of Legal Services for the Ministry of Natural Resources and for the Ministry of Government Services. Jim went on to work for Toronto Hydro setting up their law department and became their first in-house council. After leaving Toronto Hydro, not one to sit still, Jim became a Justice of the Peace. 

Jim loved electronics and built himself ham radio equipment and computers from kits. With the help of his father and son, he built his own cottage at Oak Lake. There were very few tasks Jim did not learn to do himself. Jim was a very kind and generous person who helped many friends, relatives, and neighbours with their tube TVs, antennas, giving them computers and teaching them how to use them, as well as with legal issues. 

Due to current restrictions, a small private family service will be held at Ogden Funeral Home. Jim will be buried at Knox United Church Cemetery in Agincourt. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s name to the MS Society of Canada, Sunnybrook`s Odette Cancer Centre, or Palliative Care Unit would be welcome.