Dr. James (Jim) Fennell Keffer, Professor Emeritus, Ph.D., PEng, MASc, (1933-2023) died with strength, calmness, and dignity on Friday September 29th at his home in Toronto with his loving wife at his side. Jim seemed invincible and a true force of nature but was taken from us too soon by Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS).

Jim leaves behind his closest friend and devoted wife, Carol Moore-Ede; loving sons, David (Zora Keffer) and John (Aisling Keffer); stepdaughter, Amelia Myers (Matthew Chavel); and stepson, Michael D. Clark. He was a devoted brother to his sister, Louise Fennell Ferriman (Jack Ferriman) and grandchildren, Jessie, James, and Rory Keffer; step grandchildren, Leah and Luca Chavel; and many nieces and nephews. Jim was predeceased by his childhood sweetheart and wife of sixty years, Anne Rosemary Hooper Keffer and his sister, Janet Keffer MacKechnie.

Jim was a scholar and an athlete and distinguished himself in everything he pursued. It started early. He won an award for the most outstanding pupil in his graduating year at William Burgess Elementary School. At East York Collegiate Institute, he excelled in the 100-yard dash and the 220- and played all the high school sports – basketball, track and field and most notably football. His team, the Goliaths dominated the Toronto District league.

Jim entered Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto in 1951 and maintained his high academic record, graduating with honours in 1956. Concurrently, he played football for the Blues, the university team, which gained entry to the UofT Hall of Fame for winning the Yates Cup in 1954. After graduation Jim worked with the Research Division of Canadian General Electric which whetted his appetite for more scholarly work. He enrolled in a Masters Program in Mechanical Engineering and graduated in the spring of 1958. This was followed by a Ph.D. program from which he graduated in 1962, winning a post doctoral fellowship from the Canadian National Research Council. This allowed him to spend two years in the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge and as a result it kick-started his research career in a significant way. He returned to Canada and took a position as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto.

Jim received grants from NRC and NATO, as well as from sources within UofT which allowed him to support graduate students, travel widely, and to give papers on his substantial research to international meetings, congresses, and conferences. His students were exceptional. The published papers came thick and fast. The research work centred on the mathematical and experimental investigation of the challenging fluid dynamic problem - the mixing of liquids and gases with specific attention to the role that turbulence played. His laboratory became well known around the world and the work that he and his students produced was cited in many peer-reviewed journals. The subject of his research was a precursor to the serious climate problems that face us today.

Much of his work involved international collaborations. He established a significant relationship with the IMST, University of Aix-Marseille, France during a sabbatical year. And was a Visiting Professor, at Servei de Technologia Quimica, University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain where he gave graduate courses along with a continuation of his research with colleagues there.

Jim became the Director of Graduate Studies and in addition was responsible for the establishment and direction of the Engine Testing Laboratory. From there he was appointed to the School of Graduate Studies where he became Associate Dean. Later he became Vice Provost in charge of Professional Faculties. His final administrative appointment was Vice President Research and International Relations for the University. Jim enjoyed the administrative posts. It gave him a chance to see the breadth and activities of a world class institution like the UofT.

Jim continued with his research and graduate teaching beyond his retirement. His topic of turbulent flows had great relevance to mathematical modelling of environment, both in the climate and in the oceans. As well, he was called upon from time to time as a consultant in the practical application of these situations.

Jim and his late wife, Anne, enjoyed their retirement travelling widely and golfing whenever the opportunity arose. Summers were spent cruising on their yacht in Georgian Bay. Winters were spent in Florida. But this idyllic situation was cut short by Anne’s multiple health issues from which she died in 2015.

And so began a second phase of Jim's life. He married Carol Moore-Ede, a family acquaintance of some years. Their life was full of lively discussions, exchanges of ideas, travel, love, and laughter. Jim often remarked that he was indeed fortunate to be so lucky twice in one lifetime.

Jim was a confident man with an enquiring mind. He saw himself as a scientist rather than an engineer and was proud of his research achievements. He approached all that he did with great passion and was well-known for his engaging sense of humour. He was a leader, not suffering fools gladly, but was fiercely loyal and kind to his family and friends.

Jim felt privileged and fortunate to have had a life well and truly lived and filled with great enjoyment. As he would himself would so often say, “lucky Jim!”.

If you wish to donate, it was Jim’s wish it go to the Sunnybrook's Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Neuromuscular Clinic.