Contributions to the tribute of James Christopher Lightbourn

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Donald Leonard Roberts posted a condolence

Thursday, January 12, 2023

It is very difficult to express the vastness and benefit of the contributions of Chris Lightbourn's life as a teacher. He was a true gentleman and scholar, with a keen and enjoyable sense of humour, and a deep love of the subject and students he taught. He was highly and sincerely respected and admired by his colleagues who were also good friends. May he rest in peace on that "pebbled shore".

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Shelley Barrie posted a condolence

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Mr. Lightbourn was a fantastic teacher who nurtured and inspired his students. I feel so lucky to have been one of them. And he just had the best laugh! Shelley Caughill Barrie

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Joan Schweitzer pledged to donate to THE STRATFORD SHAKESPEAREAN FESTIVAL CANADA

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

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Chris Sebastian pledged to donate to GRAND RIVER HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

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Thomas Brown posted a condolence

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Mr. Lightboun started teaching at Dundas District High School (DDHS) in the Fall of 1956. He made such an impression on all of us. We wanted to be like him. I am sorry to hear of his passing. I am thankful that I had the pleasure of being one of his students.

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TOM O'MARRA Posted Jan 11, 2023 at 12:45 PM

Mighty fine to have known you, Chris. Deep scent to your pipe tobacco on the other side. God speed. 'Oremus pro invicem.'

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Marty Dever posted a condolence

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

As many have already underscored, Mr. Lightbourn was a standout faculty member at FHCI who made a lasting impression because of his genuine interest in his students. As I look at the list of tributes, many of us have gone on to careers based in writing, which I'm sure he'd be pleased to know. He was an inspirational teacher with a wickedly funny sense of humour - he didn't care for kids snacking in his class, and the year I had him for English, his was the class right before lunch on Day 4, which meant a lot of secretly crinkling packages...he tested the 'melt in your mouth, not in your hand' M&M tagline with one student who he had hold a candy in his non-dominant hand for the duration of class. :-D Rest well, sir. “Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come.”

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Sharon Saberton posted a condolence

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Sending condolences to the family of James Lightbourn. He was one of my teachers at Dundas District High School many years ago. He is remembered with kind thoughts. He was one of the first teachers in my life that encouraged creativity in my soul. For this I continue to be grateful. Rest In Peace James.

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Krista Philbrick posted a condolence

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Mr. Lightbourn was the educator who had the greatest impact on my life. He encouraged me to, in the teachings of Joseph Campbell: "follow your bliss and doors you don't know are there will open for you." I did my undergrad and masters degrees in literature based on the love of literature I learned from him - having no clear idea where I might land, but confident that those doors would find me, and they did. In the fourth year of my undergrad I had the pleasure of having him in my Shakespeare course - he had retired and was auditing the class because of his love of Shakespeare. Rest in peace. “I can no other answer make but thanks, And thanks, and ever thanks.” Twelfth Night

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Rob Cooper posted a condolence

Monday, January 9, 2023

Mr Lightbourn was never my teacher, but he made a lasting impression on me in another way. When I was in Grade 13 at FHCI, I hung around the cafeteria a lot during rehearsals for the spring play, The Mousetrap, because I was an Agatha Christie fan. I won't name names but one of the actors was absent from quite a few rehearsals. On one such day, an exasperated Mr Lightbourn turned to me and said, "You've been watching the rehearsals enough - how'd you like to fill in?" I'd never acted a day in my life, but he guided and goaded and explained and helped me get inside the character's head. After a large number of days of this, he said, out of the blue, "God, you've grown into this part." The occasionally-missing actor and I each got the limelight for two nights of the play's four-night run. I can't count the number of times I've replayed this experience over the last 40 years. Mr Lightbourn taught me not to be afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone, and for that I will always be grateful. May he rest in peace.

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Anthony (Tony) Reinhart posted a condolence

Monday, January 9, 2023

People often say one good teacher can change your life. Well, in my case, Chris Lightbourn was that teacher. I'd gone to Forest Heights for Grades 12 and 13, the latter of which turned out to be an academic disaster, due to an ill-advised decision to load my schedule with maths and sciences ("you'll never get a good job with an arts degree," those anonymous societal voices kept whispering in my ear). The one calm port in that storm of a year was Chris's English class. I didn't exactly excel there, either, given the distraction of those other courses. But Chris saw something in my writing that I couldn't, and frankly wouldn't, see as an insecure 17-year-old. When I quit in the middle of Grade 13 to head out west to work, Chris pulled me aside on my way out. I was afraid he might admonish me, but instead, he told me, "You have the beginnings of a real writing style," and encouraged me to remember that as I headed off to figure things out. A couple of years and a few ill-fitting, dead-end jobs later, I enrolled in a college journalism course. From there, I went on to a highly rewarding career as a newspaper reporter, and a great life. I don't know that any of this would have happened had Chris not stopped me and said those few words back in the spring of 1985. Rest in peace, Chris, and thank you.

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Cynthia Campbell posted a condolence

Monday, January 9, 2023

My sincere condolences to the family and close friends of dear Mr. Lightbourn. I have many fond memories of him teaching me in both Grade 9 and again in Grade 13. His passion for literature and teaching were both contagious and inspiring to me. Largely because of Mr Lightbourn, I majored in English and have now been teaching for nearly as long as he taught! His calm and gentle nature along with his sincere interest in me as a student are the qualities of what good teachers do. He was one of the very best. Rest In Peace Cynthia Campbell FHCI Class of ‘88

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Joan McKinnon uploaded photo(s)

Monday, January 9, 2023

Mr. Lightbourn was my favorite teacher at FHCI (1965-1970). He was inspiring even though I could be a handful at times. RIP. You have earned it. This photo is from the 25th anniversary of FHCI.

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Joan Lawson posted a condolence

Monday, January 9, 2023

Because of Mr Lighbourne’s enthusiasm for teaching, I tried harder and, as a result, learned more. He was my Grade 13 English teacher and I have felt his positive impact throughout my life. Joan Thompson Lawson - Forest Heights, Class of ‘70

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Carey S Janzen posted a condolence

Monday, January 9, 2023

Mr. Lightbourn was my high school English teacher at Forest Heights Collegiate in Kitchener, ON circa 1981. He was fantastic! I will always remember him writing a "quote of the day" in the upper right hand corner of the blackboard every morning. I am now 55 years old and I just retired on December 31, 2022 following a 34 year career with Regional government. I am currently pursuing my Doctor of Social Work degree due in a large part to teachers like Mr. Lightbourn who instilled in me a love for learning. Thank you sir! Mr. Carey S. Janzen, BSW, MSW

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The family of James Christopher Lightbourn uploaded a photo

Monday, January 9, 2023

James Christopher Lightbourn

1931 - 2023