James "Jim" Wilfred Blight

Peacefully on Sunday, September 29, 2024, Jim Blight passed away at Portage District General Hospital at the age of 86 years.

Left to cherish Jim’s memory are his children Kevin (Dorothy), Keri-Lynn (Robert) Pohl, Kendall and Kam (Krista); son-in-law Pat Simard; grandchildren Rachel (Jeremy), Matt (Nicole), Naomi (Colin), Jaxon (Jordyn), Katie, Justin, Meghan (Aaron), Joshua (Alina), Jordanna (Matthew), Jamie, Payton, Cody and Tristan; great-grandchildren Emily, Tori, Narah, Lane, Colton, Quinn, Hadlee, Calum, and Tatum; sibling Irene Blight; brother-in-law Rick (Judy) Wylde, sisters-in-law Teri Wylde (Guy Landry) and Gini Martin; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his wife Jacquie Blight; parents Wilfred and Annie Blight; daughter Kim Simard; sister Evelyn Krauchek; and in-laws Stan and Mabel Wylde.

Jim was born on December 28, 1937, in Oakville, MB, second born child of Wilfred and Annie. Jim and his sisters were the third generation to live on the George Blight homestead near Oakville, MB. He completed his high school in Oakville where he met his future wife, Jacquelyn Roberta Wylde. Jim and Jacquie were married on July 25, 1959. Jim worked in bridge construction and sold vacuums at Eaton’s in Winnipeg until 1960 when he, Jacquie, and their eldest child, Kevin, moved home to his uncle Hugh Blight’s home to help on the farm. In 1961, Jim’s parents built a new home on the Blight yard, and subsequently Jim, Jacquie, and Kevin moved into the original Blight family home. All five children were raised there and, after 58 years of farming, Jim semi-retired while still living on the family farm. 

Jim loved to farm; fish; play baseball; snowmobile; play cards; watch YouTube videos of farming, sawmilling, or musical performances; and spend time with family and friends. He had a lifelong passion for farming and learned much from his father, Wilfred, and his father-in-law, Stan Wylde. In the late 1960’s, Jim, Stan, and his brother-in-law Rick Wylde started Oakville Alfalfa Farms selling hay across the prairies and into the US. He returned to grain farming in the 1980’s and then started Blight Native Seeds in 1988 with his son Kevin, later joined by his youngest son, Kam, growing grain crops as well as growing and marketing native grasses such as Green Needlegrass and Sideoats Grama to wholesalers in Canada and the northern US. Jim was born into a farming family and that legacy carries on today through future generations.

Jim was a proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He especially loved to cheer on his grandchildren at any of their extracurricular activities and was affectionately called Gramps.

Thank you to Dr. Tyler Nelson, a special man he called his friend, for his exemplary care. You are an example for others to follow. Also, thank you to all staff on the medical ward at Portage District General Hospital for their compassionate care over the past four weeks.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the Oakville Community Club (The new Hall) at 11:00 am. The service will be livestreamed and can be viewed by registering at the link below.

As expressions of sympathy, if friends so wish, donations may be made in Jim’s memory to the Oakville Community Club (Hall) Box 344, Oakville, MB, R0H 0Y0.

A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel.  www.mckenziesportagefuneralchapel.com