James Peter Connell Passed away peacefully at Lanark Lodge, Monday, October 1, 2012 at the age of 86 years. He leaves to mourn his beloved wife and best friend of over sixty-five years, Ella (Ily) MacLeod; their children, Jim, Dave (Denise), Bruce (Emma), Doug (Lu-Anne), Jeff, Liz (Paul), Barb (Greg) and KC (Ron). He will be fondly remembered by his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister and daughter in-law (Sue Connell). Mr. Connell lived a full and distinguished life. Born and educated in Nova Scotia schools and at Acadia University, he began his working life with the Royal Bank of Canada as a teller. He left the bank and with Ily, his Whycocomagh bride, moved to Ontario to begin married life and pursue a career in personnel administration, working progressively for private industry companies including Lucas Rotax, Frigidaire, Union Carbide, Lake Ontario Portland Cement and Allied Chemical. Those early years saw Peter and Ily (and a steadily increasing number of children) living in Toronto, Belleville, Montreal, Picton and Montreal again. In 1966, Mr. Connell moved his family to Ottawa, where he joined the federal public service as Director of Personnel for Transport Canada. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Transport Canada Training Institute in Cornwall, Ontario, still operational today. In 1970, Mr. Connell was appointed Deputy Secretary (Personnel Policy) at the Treasury Board working under then Treasury Board President, the Honourable Jean Chretien. Mr. Connell was appointed Deputy Minister, National Revenue (Customs and Excise) in 1974 and served in that role for 7 years during which time he directed the development of the Canada Customs College at Rigaud, Quebec. To his great pleasure, the college was officially opened as the J.P. Connell Campus in spring of 1980. While Deputy Minister at Customs and Excise, Mr. Connell was elected Vice-President and then President, of the International Customs Cooperation Council based in Brussels, Belgium. In 1982, Mr. Connell was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture where he remained until his retirement from the federal public service in 1986. While at Agriculture Canada, he led delegations to countries throughout the world including the former Soviet Union, China, New Zealand, Australia, Venezuela, and Mexico. In 1983, Mr. Connell had the privilege to welcome Mikhail Gorbachev to the Central Experimental Farm during Mr. Gorbachev's first visit to Canada. Mr. Connell was a proud and true public servant, respectfully honoured at his official retirement when presented with a Canadian flag and flag pole, and a rose bearing his name, the J.P. Connell rose. The characteristics of the rose were described to be much like his "…mostly without thorns, capable of surviving the sometimes (politically) cold Ottawa winters, producing beautiful lemony flowers for all to enjoy." After leaving the public service, Mr. Connell managed his own consulting firm where his expertise was sought to lead the agricultural trade negotiation team for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) alongside Chief Negotiator, Simon Reisman. He continued to serve, sitting on the boards of directors for the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the University of Guelph, Kemptville College Campus, as well as the committee for the restoration of the Spencerville Mill. In the early 1970s, Peter and Ily moved outside Ottawa to establish a working farm on 150 acres in Oxford Station, Ontario. Together, they cultivated and managed a successful breeding stock of Simmental cattle for almost 20 years, meeting many good people within the farming community. (Outside the farming community, it was sometimes suggested Peter was a "gentleman farmer", a term that he always contested with the same reply: "While I'll admit to be a gentleman and a farmer, a gentleman farmer I am not.") They sold the farm in 1990, downsizing to a smaller ten-acre farm property near Spencerville, Ontario. As he settled into his retirement years, Mr. Connell became J.P. and found great enjoyment in fishing trips and family gatherings at the farm. Together always with Ily, he raised sheep, indulged his interest in cooking and bread-making, and travelled (mostly to visit their children in various parts of the world, and family at home in Nova Scotia). Interestingly, he lived his later days as the co-proprietor, with Ily, of Connell Rose Bed & Breakfast, at their home. For several years, he played host to travellers from across Canada and around the world. As visitors entered the drive, they were greeted with the Canadian flag flying proudly, a row of J.P. Connell rosebushes, and J.P. himself. In 2009, Peter suffered a stroke, which eventually prompted a move to Perth, Ontario to be closer to family. Mr. Connell was deeply in love with his wife and immensely proud of his children. He did not want to grow old. He leaves behind memories of a lifetime of hard work and accomplishment, love, honour and respect. He will be so greatly missed, and always remembered. Friends may pay their respects at the Blair & Son Funeral Home, 15 Gore St. W. Perth on Thursday, October 4th, 2012 from 4:00 until 8:00 P.M. The service will be held in the Chapel on Friday at 11:00 A. M. Interment will be held at a later date in Round Hill, Nova Scotia. In remembrance, contributions to the Lanark Lodge Memorial Fund or the Salvation Army would be appreciated. A hardy, beautiful rose.