Born at Winnipeg on 13 June 1929, only son of James Winning Searle and Agnes Elizabeth Graham, he studied Architecture at the University of Manitoba, graduating in 1951. He practiced as a partner in the Winnipeg architectural firm of Smith Carter Searle and Associates. He was President of the Manitoba Association of Architects (1959-1961), a councilor and President (1967-1968) of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and Director of the Community Planning Association (Manitoba Branch).
When his firm merged with a Toronto-based company, he moved there as the managing partner of Searle Wicbee Rowland. He left the company in 1975 to become Vice-President of the Genstar Corporation.
He was married twice, first on 3 March 1954 to Jean Margaret McEachern (?-2013, daughter of John M. McEachern) with whom he had two daughters and two sons. The couple divorced in 1972. On 9 March 1974, he married Judith Patricia “Judy” Menzies.
He died at Toronto, Ontario on 24 April 2020.
See also:
Manitoba Business: Smith Carter and Katelnikoff / Smith Carter Architects and Engineers / Architecture49
“Engagement notices,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 February 1954, page 17.
“Jean Margaret McEachern becomes bride of James Searle,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 March 1954, page 16.
“City heart specialist dies at 57,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 March 1954, page 1.
“Business world,” Winnipeg Tribune, 13 May 1961, page 44.
“James E. Searle,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 January 1960, page 12.
“Architects elect Fort Garry man,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 May 1967, page 19.
Obituary [Jean Margaret McEachern], Winnipeg Free Press, 7 December 1971, page 37.
Obituary [Jean Margaret Mylrea], The Globe and Mail, 20 March 2013.
Obituary, The Globe and Mail, 28 April 2020.
James Elmhurst Searle, Prabook.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 18 December 2022
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