How do any of us go on without the "sunshine" in our lives that was Jim. I've known him for about 40 years, met him playing cards and loved and cherished his humor, love and spirit from day one! We became fast friends. We didn't see each other for a number of years, I had a son and my life went in a different direction. But Jim was the type of friend you didn't have to see or talk to daily to remain close. We met up at a euchre tournament about 5 years ago and re-kindled our friendship like it never paused. He told me those Joel Osteen jokes every Sunday with laughter and pride, I loved his laughter and his irreverent (at times) sense of humor, because we "got" each other and made one another laugh. When I learned he'd had surgery and was not doing well I visited him at least once a week after work, and cried when he was non-responsive and prayed that he would recover. Here's my funny (at my expense) story for Jim: He had finally recovered in the hospital enough to be moved to a convalescence center on the south side on Emerson Avenue, again I trekked there, never knowing how I might find his heath (I was nearly ready to retire because my eyesight was failing due to macular degeneration). The first visit, he did not look well at all and was bedfast. The second visit the nurse told me he had probably been wheeled to the cafeteria for lunch. My eyesight being so impaired, I went to "look" for him. I found a man sitting at a table who was the same size and shape as Jim in a wheelchair, having difficulty with his meal, I pulled up a chair, nearly in tears because I thought my dear friend was in such horrible shape. I started cutting up his food and started to feed him, suddenly I hear Jim's voice calling me...he was almost rolling with laughter that I had sat down to feed some strange man, thinking it was him. He watched me do that for awhile...Ladies and Gentlemen....that was Jim!! I will miss you, my love, until we meet again! My prayers to his children and grandchild, who he loved with all of his being!!
