James Scott Beesley

Scott was enjoying his family, his work and was making plans for new adventures. When an aggressive small cell carcinoma took him from us at 62 years young on September 14, 2024, it was hard to say goodbye. We are so sorry. Many will miss his friendship, generosity, and sardonic wit. He was known for his excellent memory, knowledge on a wide array of topics, uncanny sense of direction (no GPS required!), tasty omelettes, and silly puns. Especially feeling the void are wife Shannon, children Madeleine and Brian (Madison); sister Trish (Jim) and children Jessica (Bojan), Shaun (Leslie), Ryan (Lacey) and the extended family. In his youth Scott was often on his bike, cycling along the beach and up and down the hills of White Rock, BC. He said his good luck began as an infant when he was adopted by Jim and Bev Beesley (now deceased). His summers were spent at sailing camp, playing organized soccer, and cycling hundreds of miles in Washington state, across Canada and Europe. He skipped a grade at H.T. Thrift Elementary, attended Frank Hurt Secondary and if his yearbook is any indication, had way too much fun with friends at Semiahmoo High. He earned a provincial Scholarship, Bachelor of Science (physics) and Master of Arts (economics) degrees from the University of British Columbia and a certificate in Non-Destructive Testing and QA from BCIT. He valued work and always had a job to pay for his adventures and his education. An interesting career path in the trades, then at the firm Economica, and finally academia led him in many directions, working in Ontario, Vancouver, Calgary and Kamloops before settling in his birthplace, Edmonton. Teaching at the University of Alberta among his esteemed colleagues, where he could share his passion for economics with so many students, was a joy. He was introduced to the love of his life, Shannon, by her mother in the summer of Expo ’86. Scott always supported his wife’s endeavours, whether it was the book she wrote evenings and weekends, or the graduate degree she undertook. As a devoted family man, he counted his lucky stars that he had been able to contribute so fully to his children’s development and activities. He was a fun dad with big hugs who made family trips memorable and every day sunny. The family is very grateful for the attentive care that Scott received at Strathcona, Royal Alex, University of Alberta, and Cross Cancer hospitals. His long stay at Station 30 at the Cross for chemo was made easier by the awesome expertise of the medical staff, excellent food providers and everyone who was so very kind. The work of Dr. J. Rauw, medical oncologist, helped to extend Scott’s time on earth and allowed for a few precious months back home in Sherwood Park where home care staff visited weekly without fail. We also appreciate the helpful words and deeds of family and friends during this unexpected journey. We thank you all. At his request there will be no funeral. If you happen to see the Seahawks, the Oilers, Lord of the Rings, Jack Aubrey, Heinlein, U2, a chess game, Sunday New York Times crosswords, a black Sharpie, a grande dark roast or a tip jar – think of Scott.