SARGENT, Jim
Jim Sargent died December 2, 2013, at Extendicare Tri-Town Nursing Home in Haileybury after a lengthy illness. Born in Arnprior, Ontario, on September 27, 1925, to Matthew Sargent and Elizabeth Sargent (McCann), the family moved to Latchford in 1935 where he was educated at Latchford Public School up to Grade 10, then took a business course in Noranda, Quebec. Mr. Sargent worked for A.B. Gordon's Lumber Mill in Latchford and on the log drives along the Montreal River as a clerk from 1942 to 1952. He moved on to a job as a buyer and seller of lumber for Laidlaws. He then started a wholesale lumber business in New Liskeard with Bill Lickley Senior. He had moved to New Liskeard in 1955 and later in life he ran the pro shop at the New Liskeard Golf Club and was the icemaker at the Horne Granite Curling Club. Mr. Sargent played fastball for the Latchford Lumber Kings and pitched in an orthodox style. He also pitched for Campsall's Electric when he moved to New Liskeard. He was known as one of the top pitchers in Northern Ontario and was a good hitter as well. Mr. Sargent was one of the founding members of the New Liskeard Golf Club. He, and many other people built this golf course from the ground up. During the long weekend in August, the Jim Sargent Civic Tournament is held, and this has been an annual event for many years. He was also an avid curler out of the Horne Granite Club. In 1968, he curled on the team that won the Centennial Spiel in Kirkland Lake by defeating Ernie Richardson, a four-time Brier champion. In 1978 and 1980, his team won the City of Ottawa Bonspiel. In 1982, the Senior Men's Northern Ontario Championship was won by his team as well. Mr. Sargent wrote many poems over the years and set quite a few of them to music. He sang at many events, including the Grey Cup in Montreal and the Briers in Halifax and Red Deer. He was given the nickname "Singing Sarge." He wrote about logging, curling, golfing, hockey, local people and celebrities, the politics of the Tri-Town area, past and current events and places he had lived and visited. In 2005, Northern Troubadour: The Songs and Poems of Jim Sargent was launched at the New Liskeard Golf Club. He was inducted into the Poetry Hall of Fame in Cobalt on June 1, 2013. Mr. Sargent was a navigator in the RCAF where, at his graduation, he was presented with his "wings" by child star Shirley Temple, at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Just as he received his orders to report for active duty, World War II ended. His two years of training to be a navigator took him away from the lumber mill in Latchford from 1943-45. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 33 in New Liskeard. Mr. Sargent is survived by his son Mark Sargent of New Liskeard and daughter Jane Sargent Nodwell (Bruce) of North Bay; grandsons Dustin Sargent of San Diego, California, and Shane Sargent (Lara) of Calgary, Alberta; and sister Mary Baril (Bergard) of Calvin Township. He was predeceased by his daughter-in-law Carol Norton-Sargent, brother Jack Sargent (Rena) and sisters Audrey Sargent and Leona Sheehan (Walter). Funeral arrangements were by Perrin Funeral Chapel. Cremation has occurred and ashes will be interred in the spring of 2014 at the New Liskeard Catholic Cemetery. A gathering will be held at the Horne Granite Centre in New Liskeard on Sunday, December 22, from 2-5 p.m. An invitation is extended to come out for the "last round" with Singing Sarge. The family requests no donations or flowers as per Mr. Sargent's wishes.
Write your sympathies or tribute