James Bernard MacAulay

On Friday, September 27, 2019, James MacAulay died peacefully at the Ottawa General Hospital surrounded by his loving children and devoted wife of 52 years, Janice (Charleson). He leaves his four children Marian (Chris Boehm), Margaret, Brigid (Josh Portner), and James (Julie Haché) and his grandchildren Hannah, Ethan, Zoë, Maeve, and Aaron. He was predeceased by his parents Irene (Tate) and Ambrose McCauley, and his sisters Joan and Betty. He is survived by his brother Jack and sisters Margaret (Peggy), Theresa, Roseanne, and Sally, and many nieces and nephews.

James was born at home on the family farm in Murray Township, Ontario, on October 24, 1940. In those days, there was reluctance to talk to children about how babies came into the world, and his older siblings tell of coming home from school that day, surprised to find a new baby brother swaddled on the warming oven door of the wood stove.

James’ education began in a one-room school house, where he benefited from a remarkable teacher and devoured the boxes of books that arrived each month. His unquenchable thirst for knowledge led him to leave the farm to pursue many interests. His scholarly pursuits took him to the University of Toronto's architecture program, to Carleton University in Ottawa for political science, to Fordham University in New York City on a Canada Council grant for a year’s collaboration with Marshall McLuhan, to Harvard University for independent study, and ultimately to obtaining his Ph D with a specialty in Science Policy from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

It was at Carleton that James met and fell in love with Janice, and the two married in June 1967. After completing his graduate work, they returned to Ottawa with their first child in 1976 and James began working at the Science Council of Canada where he wrote several important studies. The family’s return to Ottawa also allowed James to satisfy his yen for design and building. He and Janice bought a burned-out house near the canal in Centretown and he transformed it into a very special family home where the children grew up and he and Janice lived for over 40 years.

But it was in the wilderness that James was most at home, and when he and Janice found a rustic boathouse on a lake nearby, with rugged coastlines, acres of woods and open fields, they knew this could be a perfect retreat from their city life. The little boathouse became a gathering place for many of his siblings and their families, and James introduced his children to canoeing, sailing, the pleasure of long walks through the woods, and the thrill of huge bonfires.

Over the years at the lake, James took on many ambitious projects. He was never happier than at the controls of his secondhand backhoe, moving huge rocks to carve a road through the woods, or pulling deadfalls with his ancient tractor. No challenge was too great; the ingenuity he learned on the farm served him well. His solutions were often very creative and they usually worked. He designed and built several unique buildings that would be an enduring legacy for his children and grandchildren.

About ten years ago, James began showing signs of dementia, and it was heartbreaking for family and friends to see his brilliant, analytical mind begin to fail. He was able to stay at home until his very last days thanks to the loving care of his family. As his dementia advanced, James and Janice received invaluable support and services from the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County, and from Carefor Ottawa’s Day Away Program, for which they were very grateful. Donations may be made to these organizations in memory of James.

A funeral will take place at Beechwood Cemetery chapel on Thursday, October 3, at 11 a.m., followed by a reception. Visitation at Beechwood on Wednesday, October 2 from 6 to 8 p.m.