Poole, James “Jim” – Age 73, passed away suddenly on Friday, June 5, 2020, following complications from surgery. Born in Harbour Breton, N.L., he was a son of the late Ernest “Jack” and Hazel (Evans) Poole. His family left Newfoundland for Nova Scotia when he was a child, and Nova Scotia became his forever home. He attended Saint Mary’s University in the late 1960s, getting degrees in both Arts and Education. It was while he was studying at Saint Mary’s that he met the love of his life, Lynn (Leslie), at a traffic light in Halifax. This chance encounter resulted in a shared life and enduring love of more than 52 years. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Janelle; they moved to the small rural community of Middle Musquodoboit, where they both began teaching at local schools. In 1972 they took a leap and bought a small farm nearby, shortly after the birth of their son, Chris. This farm, which grew significantly in scope over the years, would become one of the cornerstones of who Jim Poole was. He became interested in purebred Shorthorn cattle and breeding and selling his own herd, which he did for more than 40 years. He remained active in the Shorthorn community, showing cattle at exhibitions across the province, as well as serving as president of the Canadian Shorthorn Association in the 1980s. Jim and his family also ran a large commercial hog operation on the farm for many years. Needless to say, his work ethic was top notch; during the 32 years that Jim worked as a teacher and guidance counsellor at Musquodoboit Rural High School, his evenings and weekends were filled with farm responsibilities, from fencing to tending to livestock to fixing whatever had broken along the way. He was renowned (in the family) for his creative use of profanity during annual hay-making season, when every piece of machinery had to break at least once a cycle. Jim was an active member of the Musquodoboit Valley community. In the 1980s, he took part in local theater productions, as well as directing and/or producing several high school plays. He was a member of the Lions Club for 15 years, where among other projects, he ran bingo for seniors. In his retirement years, he and Lynn spent most Monday mornings as part of a group singing at the Braeside Retirement Home, as well as in the church choir. Jim had a curious mindset and loved to travel and explore new places. He and Lynn had many adventures across Europe, the Caribbean, and North America, including a number of cruises with great friends. His last trip was a family vacation in Mexico in March – an incredible surprise for Jim and Lynn when both their children and their spouses joined them on their trip, creating wonderful memories. Jim had a rich sense of humor and loved to poke fun in a good-natured way. He loved his family fiercely and was a very proud father, grandfather and husband. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Lynn; daughter, Janelle (Darek), Seattle; son, Chris (Natalie), Lantz; and grandchildren, Kayla and Tyler, Lantz. He was predeceased by his brother, Ernie.
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Arimathea Funeral Cooperative, Upper Musquodoboit. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a service will be held for family only. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s name may be made to Musquodoboit Valley Health Foundation.
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