Memorable Manitobans: James C. “Jim” Wakefield (1918-2011)

Educator, administrator.

Born at St. Cloud, Minnesota on 28 May 1918, son of Jacob Wakefield and Frances Clifford, he graduated from the Academic High School at Elk River, Minnesota in 1936. During the Second World War, he helped to design and build the P-51 Mustang fighter plane at North American Aviation before serving in American military forces in Europe from 1945 to 1946. He received a BSc degree in Industrial Education from the University of Minnesota (1952) then was appointed Assistant Principal of the Manitoba Technical Institute (now Red River College) in 1953. He was promoted to Principal in 1957 and resigned in 1964 to return to St. Cloud where he concluded his career at the St. Cloud Technical and Community College. He died at Sartell, Minnesota on 8 August 2011 and was buried in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery at Little Falls, Minnesota.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 17 August 2011.

Obituary, Benson Funeral Home.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 21 February 2018

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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