JIM DEVA CELEBRATION of LIFE

September 27, 2014 Yesterday I was very honoured to be included in the family, Little Sisters & Sweet staff and friends of Jim Deva remembrance prior to the official Church service. We were transported in limousines from Little Sisters through the West End to Jim's favourite spot at third beach. There Bruce Smyth, Jim's 42 year partner paid tribute to the love of his life and the commnity's undisputed hero. At the church service other than the first speaker Ms Aerlyn Weissman who delivered a moving tribute and the performance piece by the Vancouver Men's chorus I feel and it pains me to say this but the essence of Jim and the importance of his role in the community where he welcomed All into Little Sisters regardless of class or social status was lost. Jim adored our First Nations and was very supportive of our community but nowhere in the two hour remembrance was there any room dedicated for a welcome from the first peoples who Jim cherished and adored. Now I'm really going to go out on a limb here and I know others will agree with me that two Men took up an hour and a half of what was a two hour remembrance of Jim's life. It seemed like it was more of a Tim Stevenson and his partner Gary Patterson's pony show. This is surprising because Jim was not a religious man. I know Jim would be thrilled that the Mayor was present and brought greetngs but did Mr Mayor really need to electioneer when delivering his tribute? Jim would have joked about the Police honour guard welcoming us but he would be overjoyed that they paid tribute to him in this way. The Police Chief was to speak but was in Europe. He apparently sent a statement and for some odd reason Tim Stevenson read it, mumbling through as he tends to do. Why the Deputy Chief Doug Lepard who was in full reglia and present did not deliver Chief Chu's tribute is odd. In fact Councillor Stevenson I suspect was to be the MC but instead took up an hour almost entirely himself talking about himself .. And then the lover of Mr Stevenson who is the moderator of the Unted Church was tending to go on a tad long, OK not just a tad long but really really long. Perhaps the spirit was moving him and he couldn't control himself. It would be interesting to know what the atheist in Jim Deva would of been thinking at this moment. Probably chuckling I'm sure. Someone though at this moment in exasperation namely Brad Teeter stood up in his pew and interrupted Rev Patterson chastising him saying that Jim would not be happy about how his celebration of ife was being conducted. A number of the attendees albeit somewhat mortified about this interjection did clap in support. I think Jim would have loved this moment! Finally this remembrance concluded on I would say a positive note and many hundreds of folks headed over to Celebrities Club where I suspect the real Celebration of Jim's life occured! RIP Daddy Deva!!! Jamie Lee Hamilton