California Obituaries, Los Angeles County

Submitted by Peggy Hooper 

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The Downey Eagle
January 26, 2001 Volume 8 Number 49

Friends, family mourn James Thomson at 85
DOWNEY-James Thomson, who was a local resident for 17 years and worked for Republic Steel, died Jan. 8 
in Downey at the age of 85. 
He was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on Nov. 4, 1915, and moved to the Downey-Hollydale area in 1955. 
In his spare time in high school, he helped in his dad's bakeshop, developing a skill that later endeared him to
 many especially at Thanksgiving and Christmastime because of the baking skills he learned in the process. 
He was an active member of the McDonald's Breakfast Club, and visited convalescent homes after he retired. 
He loved sports, and followed it fervently on TV, especially hockey, as he had played it for a semi-pro farm team 
in his youth. He won many medals and excelled in track and field, especially the 100-meter dash. He even set a 
record in the broad jump for his team. This love of sports his children inherited, as have his grandchildren. 
He served in the Navy in WWII. A Navy buddy of his named Al paid him a visit every year and they would spend 
hours recounting their antics while on a goodwill tour around South America aboard the ship, "Uganda." 
He is survived by his wife, Lillian; son James Scott of Rutland, Vt. (and wife Donna Marie and grandchildren, 
Claire Elaine and James William); a daughter Dorothy Heather of Downey and grandchild Adam; and brothers, 
John and Marshall, both of Hamilton, Canada. 
His remains have been cremated (Downey Zrelak Family Mortuary). The date of the memorial services will be 
announced later.