Jim really was a terrific guy. He had a great sense of humor and was very athletic. I first got to know him in Junior High. I remember our gym class would head over to the field house every day and warm up with calisthenics before getting on the track. Anyway, we're upstairs in the field house doing our push-ups, sit-ups and whatever. So, I'm holding Jim's ankles while he does his sit-ups and he cranks out something like 50 in one minute. He gets done and it's my turn. Jim holds my ankles, Mr. Edwards blows his whistle and I get off to a good start. Somehow, I manage to beat him. That really torqued his jaws. I took some delight in knowing that episode bugged him for a long time. I still miss him.
I played hoops w/ Jim as seniors in high school. We played semi-pro for 4-5 seasons in Seattle. He was a great teamate and individual. He was always available when I needed him whether it was sports or something else.
During the summers we would float the Yakima River from Cle Elum to Ellensburg. Those were some good memories jumping off twenty foot railroad bridges into the river and floating underneath waterfalls where most folks would not consider. Occassionally we hit log jams that was pretty serious but we always escaped only to laugh hard afterward when we realized we somehow escaped almost certain serious consequences.
One time he helped me move. Some of those U-Haul boxes were very large and heavy. From the second floor lanai I saw Jim carrying a box that was almost as tall as him. As he was crossing the parkinglot the bottom of the box fell apart. While he was sincerely apologizing I laughed myself to death. It was a hilarious scene. He finally saw the humor of the situation.
Jim also cared for strangers. One winter night we were coming home in the snow on an I-5 overpass when we came across a car that was stuck in the snow. We got out in the snow and got this young woman moving again. It wasn't easy but we did it.
Jim's final act of kindness occurred on his 40th birthday when he saw a total stranger walking along the highway near Monroe in a torrential rain storm and stopped to give this guy a ride. After he took the guy to where he needed to be Jim turned around and got stuck on the railroad tracks. I think you all know the rest of the very sad story.
He did so many more random acts of kindness. He was the consumate gentle Jim. I still think of him and miss him and his great sense of humor too. He was a great guy.
Jim and i were good freinds for many years, playing little league baseball and basketball.. he was always up and you could always count on him. We had some interesting 'adventures' and a few nefarious deeds that shall remain our secret... i still think about him from time to time and really wish he could have joined us at the reunion...
Gary M Whitcutt
Jim really was a terrific guy. He had a great sense of humor and was very athletic. I first got to know him in Junior High. I remember our gym class would head over to the field house every day and warm up with calisthenics before getting on the track. Anyway, we're upstairs in the field house doing our push-ups, sit-ups and whatever. So, I'm holding Jim's ankles while he does his sit-ups and he cranks out something like 50 in one minute. He gets done and it's my turn. Jim holds my ankles, Mr. Edwards blows his whistle and I get off to a good start. Somehow, I manage to beat him. That really torqued his jaws. I took some delight in knowing that episode bugged him for a long time. I still miss him.
Tom VanderSys
I played hoops w/ Jim as seniors in high school. We played semi-pro for 4-5 seasons in Seattle. He was a great teamate and individual. He was always available when I needed him whether it was sports or something else.
During the summers we would float the Yakima River from Cle Elum to Ellensburg. Those were some good memories jumping off twenty foot railroad bridges into the river and floating underneath waterfalls where most folks would not consider. Occassionally we hit log jams that was pretty serious but we always escaped only to laugh hard afterward when we realized we somehow escaped almost certain serious consequences.
One time he helped me move. Some of those U-Haul boxes were very large and heavy. From the second floor lanai I saw Jim carrying a box that was almost as tall as him. As he was crossing the parkinglot the bottom of the box fell apart. While he was sincerely apologizing I laughed myself to death. It was a hilarious scene. He finally saw the humor of the situation.
Jim also cared for strangers. One winter night we were coming home in the snow on an I-5 overpass when we came across a car that was stuck in the snow. We got out in the snow and got this young woman moving again. It wasn't easy but we did it.
Jim's final act of kindness occurred on his 40th birthday when he saw a total stranger walking along the highway near Monroe in a torrential rain storm and stopped to give this guy a ride. After he took the guy to where he needed to be Jim turned around and got stuck on the railroad tracks. I think you all know the rest of the very sad story.
He did so many more random acts of kindness. He was the consumate gentle Jim. I still think of him and miss him and his great sense of humor too. He was a great guy.
Tom Vander Sys
He truly cared for his family and friends.
Michael Burke
Jim and i were good freinds for many years, playing little league baseball and basketball.. he was always up and you could always count on him. We had some interesting 'adventures' and a few nefarious deeds that shall remain our secret... i still think about him from time to time and really wish he could have joined us at the reunion...