In Celebration of
James Mount
March 17, 1932 -
August 30, 2018
MOUNT, Henry Telford James 1932 - 2018. Born to Maude Adelaide Henry Mount and Dr. Harry Telford Roy Mount, in Rochester, Minnesota, Jim died peacefully in his Ottawa home on August 30, 2018. Predeceased by his parents, his first wife Betty Mae (Swerdfager) and his sister Alice Knewstubb, he is survived by his brother Balfour, by his loving wife Ursula (Fischer) and his children Heather (Frank Bastianelli), Howard (Dorien Ruijs), David, Tamara (Bradford Holcombe) and Matthew. He was blessed with much-adored grandchildren Paul (Maia Lawson), Mark (Meaghan Robbins), Sara, Daniel, Vivienne, Julia, Darwin, Nicholas, Huxley, Andrew, William and great-grandchildren Peter, John and Evelyn.
Jim grew up in Ottawa, attending Glebe Collegiate and Carleton University. He graduated from medical school at Queen’s University in 1957. He subsequently pursued ophthalmology training at McGill and subspecialty training in neuro-ophthalmology, under Dr. David Cogan at the Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School. Returning to Ottawa in 1964, Jim began a career at the Ottawa Civic and Ottawa General Hospitals as Ottawa’s first neuro-ophthalmologist, with a faculty appointment at the University of Ottawa Medical School. He developed national prominence as a master diagnostician and was a highly respected mentor to generations of ophthalmology residents. He was a pioneer in the emerging field of electroretinography, with a particular clinical interest in retinal degeneration and Retinitis Pigmentosa. He championed the Ottawa-Hull Chapter of the Foundation Fighting Blindness and developed deep ties with many families and patients across Ontario and Western Quebec. He also performed research in expert systems design, with collaborators at the National Research Council and served on the federal advisory Scientific and Technological Council of Canada.
Jim had many varied interests, including windsurfing, a life-long passion for wilderness canoeing, an inclination to find the beauty around him, and a quest to clarify the meaning of life. He lived a life infused with classical music, love of the arts, and openness to new experience and exploration. His unique, often surprising insights, his embrace of challenges, and his selfless interest in other people will be deeply missed by so many he touched. So long, Chief!
Friends and family are invited to gather Sunday September 9th, 2018, at Beechwood Funeral Cemetery and Cremation Services, 280 Beechwood Ave, Ottawa, ON, from 10:00 – 11:00 AM for visitation followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM, and reception from 12:00 – 3:00P.M. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Foundation Fighting Blindness (http://ffb.ca/) would be welcome.