Jim loved his Westmount — Trent

“We were on the executive that met often in his house. I met Nancy at the same time. We then helped organize a tax protest rally in 1982,” Trent recalled.

They continued together on the executive of WMA. Wright was president from 1983 to 1986 and on the board as an officer or director for several more years.

In 1991, Trent succeeded May Cutler as mayor.

“I knew the key thing was to have good people with me, so I persuaded David Laidley, John Bridgman and, most importantly, Jim Wright to run. I’m forever thankful. He was a peacemaker, always concerned about others. He was an essential part of Council for eight years. Jim loved his Westmount.”

To mark the 125th anniversary of Westmount’s foundation, Trent wrote a play which was staged in Victoria Hall with councillors in the roles of their original predecessors.

None was used to acting but all did well. Despite his laid-back manner, Wright played his part, the former mayor recalled. “They all did, but Jim tied things together — Herb (Bercovitz) also had that knack.

“And to see Jim, the gentle giant, strutting around on stage in a top hat was alone worth the price of the — free — admission!”

“You need people like that whether you are staging a play, running a council or putting the WMA together.”

Cohesiveness to council

Trent particularly praised Wright for the cohesiveness he brought to Council through his presence.

“He made it more than the sum of its parts,” the former mayor said.

“To function well, a council needs heterogeneity: people not only with different backgrounds, but with different temperaments.

“Councils are not uniform or homogeneous. Ideally, they should bring together various assets of Westmount. But that is not enough. You need to have someone who rallies the others and makes it work. Jim Wright was such a person.

“It was Jim’s balanced and kind approach that helped us achieve so much together. It takes that kind of gentle cohesiveness. We should be ever thankful for it.”

Then the ex-mayor added: “If there were more Jim Wrights on the earth, it would be a very different place. We would not have many of the interpersonal problems that arise.

Dealing with his passing

“I don’t mind admitting I’ve had trouble dealing with his passing. I think about him many times every day. You don’t often find someone so devoid of ego.

“It’s hard to contemplate what has happened, but as time goes on we will remember the fun and happiness he brought.”

At the beginning of September, the Trents had been staying incommunicado at a cottage on a remote island in Ontario without running water, telephone, or electricity.

“We happened to visit town and bought a Globe and Mail, which I read only at the cottage that evening. There it was! So we went back to the mainland and phoned Westmount.

“Assured there was nothing we could do, we returned to the cottage, took in its beautiful surroundings, and drank a toast to Jim.

“That’s what he would have wanted us to do.”