Obituary of Michael Andrew James

Michael passed away after a lengthy illness on August 19, 2023 at the Ottawa General hospital, aged 60, in the presence of his wife. He is survived by his beloved family: wife Sanja (Sanya), children Benjamin (23), Angelica (17), Adriana (15), Sarah (7), and his mother in law, Dana. Right until the end of his battle with terminal nasopharyngeal cancer, he always provided love and care for his family, friends and colleagues. To quote Mike: "Make the best out of a bad situation", even if that meant fighting terminal cancer for 3 years and 8 months so that his youngest daughter can remember him. 

Michael got his Law Degree from the University of Manitoba and worked in the corporate and energy sectors from both a private and public/regulatory perspective for 30 years. In his early 20s, he spent two years with his beloved aunt Carlu in Australia and it was during this time that he experienced much of what life had to offer. He enjoyed various hobbies, like guitar playing and building. If you knew Mike, you knew there was always a construction project to start or something to fix. 

These were only some of his many accomplishments, with his proudest being his children. It was his love for Benjamin that pushed him to leave the position of a partner at Miller Maki LLP that came with private practice’s long hours away from home, and find his positions with the Federal Government, first at the Indian and Northern Affairs and then as Senior Legal Counsel for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, where he met his wife, Sanja, and many of his good friends and colleagues.

Mike will be forever missed by his family and numerous friends. The strength of his presence will never be forgotten, as well as the love his family holds for him. 

A wake will be held from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at Pinecrest Remembrance Visitation Centre, 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa. Mike's final resting place will be at the Pinecrest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Fund Allocation: Medical Imaging - CT/PET fund, or the charity of your choice.