Jim Guthrie

Jim Guthrie was born in Whitehorse, Yukon. His family moved various places for work thoughout various small towns on the prairies. He met his wife, Genelle, in Regina, Saskatchewan and they moved from province to province, eventually settling in Qualicum Beach.

Jim Guthrie

Jim had varied careers during his working life. After completing his university education, Jim and Genelle moved to Edmonton, Alberta where he started a construction company; he next built homes, and log homes. They moved to Keremos/Cawston BC where they built a log home on the Similkameen River and farmed (approximately 50,000 tomato plants) for a number of years. This was followed by a return to school, then civil engineering work, and project management. While a district manager for the Highways Department, he retired from Fort St. John to Qualicum Beach. He then resumed working as a project manager on the Evergreen Line in Vancouver for a few years.

In March of 2017, Jim suffered a stroke. Shortly after this dismaying event, a Stroke Recovery Association member, Bob Davenport, told Jim about “Stroke Club” and he became a member   He and his wife come to its weekly meetings of one hour exercise sessions, followed by lunch, and live music or art activities, on Friday mornings at St. Columba Presbyterian Church near Parksville.

Jim believes that the consistent physical exercises and encouragement at these weekly meetings is helping with his recovery from the stroke, and one of the things he likes best about the meetings is the comradery with fellow members, therapists, and visitors. Jim would recommend the Oceanside Stroke Recovery Society and its programs to others working to recover from the problems of a stroke.

Jim was an avid hunter, trap shooter, and fisherman all his life, and with the loss of a great portion of his eyesight from the stroke he strongly feels the loss of being able to do those things. “It’s the biggest side effect of my stroke,” he says.