WILBUR, JAMES GERARD CLARENCE (CLARY) - of Hampton, husband of Jayne (Bird) died July 16, 2006 at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in June 2002, he was undaunted by this and for the next four years remained engaged in an admirably fought battle. He lived life to the fullest and his strength, determination and good humor have been an inspiration to all who have known him. He was born in Bathurst, N.B. on July 25, 1948, and as a child his favourite books to read were the encyclopedias in his family home on Queen Street. He graduated with honours from LeBlanc High School, after which he attended Saint Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1969. His early reading had instilled a desire to see the world first-hand and he spent the next five years traveling and working in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, South Africa, the United States and across Canada. He obtained a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1975 and a Master's Degree in Education in 1980, both at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. He then spent a further year traveling with future wife Jayne to England, South East Asia, Australia and the South Pacific. Once again he returned to New Brunswick where he lived in Hampton and raised his family. Mr. Wilbur has been a dedicated educator in District 6 where he has spearheaded numerous educational initiatives. Throughout his career he has been a classroom teacher, Vice Principal and Acting Principal at Rothesay Junior High School, a Principal of Hampton Junior and later Hampton Middle School, Acting Director of Education for District 6, and for the past ten years has been Principal of Hampton High School, from which he recently retired. Whether a teacher or an administrator, he had a special talent for working with students at risk and was focused on improving the lives of students in general. In addition to significant contributions in education, Mr. Wilbur was also actively involved in community activities and organizations. He was a past member of the Executive of the Hammond River Angling Association, the Hampton Minor Hockey Association and the Hampton Community Access Center, and a current director of both the Hampton High School Scholarship and Bursary Foundation and the Hampton John Peters Humphrey Foundation. He also served as Chairman of the Hampton Community Playing Fields Committee and as a lector at St. Alphonsus Church in Hampton. In 2002, he was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for outstanding community service. Besides traveling and being involved in shaping the lives of young people, Clary also enjoyed salmon angling, canoeing, genealogy, and spending time with both his family members and friends from Bathurst, St. F.X., Hampton, and those he met during his travels. Always proud of his three children, he took particular pleasure in handing each one a high school diploma. Fishing trips to the Patapedia River, Rocky Bend on the Miramichi, summer vacations at Youghall Beach, and a recent trip to Cuba were highlights for him. He was respected as a man of knowledge and that, combined with his tenacity, made him a formidable participant in the discussions he loved so much. Predeceased by his father Harvey, Clary is survived by his partner Jayne of 31 years; his daughter, Sarah and Karl Richard; sons, Nathan and Brandon of Hampton; his mother, Mildred (Whelton) of Bathurst; his brother Percy (Norma) of Saint John; his three sisters, Mary Alma Smith (Guy) of Bathurst, Dorothy Constable (Dave) of Burlington, ON, and Marilyn Morgan (Steve) of London, ON; his nieces, Kim, Sharon, Karalyn, Sarah and Christy; and his nephews, Percy, Patrick, Stephen, Barry, Andrew and Michael; as well as several aunts and uncles. Visitation will be at Reid's Funeral Home (832-5541), 1063 Main Street, Hampton, July 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. and July 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., with the Parish Prayer Vigil at 8 p.m. The Funeral will be held July 19th, 2006 at St. Alphonsus Church, Hampton, with Funeral Mass at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow in the Church Hall. Interment, for family members, will take place at St. Alphonsus Cemetery, Hampton. Memorials to the Clary J. Wilbur Memorial Scholarship would be appreciated by the family, c/o Hampton High School Scholarship and Bursary Foundation, P.O. Box 1070, Hampton, NB, E5N 8H1.