February 20, 1940 – August 30, 2026
James Daniel Chepil, beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle and friend, passed peacefully on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at the age of 86, surrounded by some of the people he loved the most. A quiet gentle man of deep faith, Jim hungaround as long as possible just to make sure that his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were staying out of trouble and looking out for one another. Family was everything to Jim, his love was fierce and unconditional; a legacy he’s left to all his relations. He never gave up on anyone: day or night he was forever on standby, ready and willing to help with his time, wisdom, a ride, a listening ear, a bottomless cup of ‘perc’d’ coffee or always-on-hand lukewarm Diet Coke.
Jim was born on the floor of a barn on the family homestead in Stanley, Ontario, during a winter so cold that travel was out of the question. By the time his parents hitched up the Clydesdale and made it into town to register his birth, they had to fudge the date to avoid a fine. It gave him a lifelong guessing game to play with his family – whether he’d celebrate his real birthday or his government one – and they played along, wishing him happy birthday on both days, every year. He moved into town so he could go to school, and he’d want anyone reading this to know that “education is the only thing that can never be taken away from you.” Jim walked to school barefoot, uphill, both ways.
He graduated from Selkirk Collegiate Vocational Institute, where he was a champion football player and, as it happened, met the love of his life. His passion for sport never left him: he played hockey, then softball into his 50s, bowled his way to the Ontario regional championships, and could be found at the Fort William Curling Club just about every wintery weekend well into his 70s, where he got himself an 8 ender. He was an avid Blue Jays fan and shared his love for them with anyone within range while a game was on. His brother Art was his lifelong best friend. Together they coached Bantam B and Midget A Canadians hockey teams through the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, providing equipment and rides so any kid who wanted couldplay, with a few of them going on to the NHL. In retirement, the two carried on with daily phone calls and endless evening walksthroughout the south end, laughing, arguing, meeting friends at Robin’s Donuts to solve the problems of the world and, of course, brag about their grandchildren.
Jim and Sharon married, bought a tiny house – an old CN railcar on Forest Street backing onto the MacIntyre River – and built onto it by hand in the evenings with his dad and brothers. Derrick and Maureen were born, and the family moved to Marks Street. Jim worked for the Ministry of Transportation, first as a licensing clerk and then as a highway enforcement officer, deciding to retire when he was posted back into the office and encouraged to embrace email. Jim was proud of his work with the MTO and made numerous close friends throughout his career, including Ron and Don.
In 1975 he and Sharon bought their camp at Wild Goose, where they spent every summer for over 30 years. Jim reveled in restoring things by hand to their former glory, a pioneer of ‘leave no trace’ who recycled or upcycled anything and everything possible.
His success in aging may well be attributed to his love of any and all peasant Ukrainian food: sammies with raw onion and kielbasa, raw onion and cucumber, or just raw onion; perogy (sauerkraut and taters; blueberry and strawberry – but only his mom’s), head cheese, sour cream on everything, buttermilk, and anything that could be pickled.
Jim lost his wife and best friend of 62 years, Sharon, in 2022. He and Kiel then declared themselves the Two Dusty Cowboys and carried on through the deepest grief, sharing life, with Kiel staying and caring for Jim so he could remain at home, no matter what, until he was ready to leave on his own terms.
Jim was predeceased by his granddaughter Marin Rumbelow; parents Mary (Shewchuk) and Dan (Dmetro); mother- and father-in-law Svea and George Prout; all of his brothers and sisters and many of his in-laws: Walter (Wladimir) and wife Rose; Bill (William) and wife Fran (Francis); Art (Henry) and wife Doris; Margaret and husband John Zaporzan; Linda and husband Dave Landgraff; Butch (Reginald) Prout; nieces Jeanna Chepil-Coyle and JoAnn Chabot. More than 100 years passed between the birth of Walter in 1923 and Jim’s passing in 2026.
Jim is survived by his son, Derrick, daughter Maureen, grandson Kiel, granddaughters Chandra and Svea Rene; great-grandchildren Phoenix, Karmyn, Haleigh, Graeson, Kynzley, and Arlowe; nieces and nephews Cheryl, Cathy, Danny, Janice, David, Miki, Kal, Jackie, Arthur Jr, Sandy, Darlene, Betty, John, Bob, Pam, Nick and Jamie; in-laws Owen and Gary Prout, Gail and Gordon Jensen.
The life of the handsomest of devils, with the best hair in town, will be celebrated at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Jim would love to see you donate in his memory to Community Living Thunder Bay: www.cltb.ca/donate
Arrangements have been entrusted to the WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street at James.
Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com
