I was just numbed lastnight when I received the news of our loss of Mr. Jim. As was said, he was such a rally fixture for so many years I'll forever be looking over my shoulder for him at future rallies. :very sad
To know him was to certainly love him, that smile, his laid back demeanor, his enthusiasm & love for the rallies & A-family. I don't know how many miles his ol white & teal 02 had on it but I'll BET it has more at WAO than ANY of the next closest 3-4 combined. He WAS our "Iron Man"! Who can't forget his "travelthon" a couple years ago at Clifton? After driving 14hrs by himself from FL he took his boat off the trailer & asked a few of us to look at it. The strapped down boat literally held the salt eaten trailer together. We doubted it would safely make it through the week just making the 3 mile journey from the hotel to the marina. Much less a return trip home to FL. So after some calls & talks Mr. Jim struck a deal with Lundy for his empty 03 trailer. But that trailer was in IOWA! So off Mr. Jim headed to IO, got the trailer, returned to Clifton for the last couple of days then he headed back home to FL. The man WAS Superman & Iron Man all rolled into one!
All of us would do ANYTHING for Mr. Jim but his politeness and manners always had him acting as if he were imposing anytime he asked for a favor or help. LOL I remember at his last rally he caught me at the ramp and asked, "Hey Red would you mind if I borrow some cooler space in your boat today?" As he handed me a lukewarm 6pk of Ol Milwaukee Beast Light. I laughed & said, "Mr Jim you can help yourself to ANYTHING in that cooler & I've got MUCH better in there than this swill" as I took his beer & put it in the cooler. He just laughed & said he was to old & unsophisticated to change beer now. :at the bar
And "the rope", at Clifton several years ago he needed a long rope to tie off up on the trees with at the beach. I had my deckboat & when he asked I just gave him my anchor rope. I didn't need it & honestly forgot about it that week. Well a whole year goes by & the very next year, the first day at the beach up pulls Mr. Jim & as soon as he hit the beach here he comes with a box in his hand. He was apologizing the whole way. He found it in his boat later in the fall & felt terrible for keeping it, he put it in the box & was going to mail it to me but thought better to just personally hand it to me at Clifton. I laughed & assured him he had been much to concerned about a rope... I STILL have that rope in THAT box sitting in the bow of my deckboat! Call me a simpleton but memories come in all forms!
I just LOVED THE GUY & the rallies won't be the same without our beloved, "Mr. Jim". :very sad
RIP dear sir, thanks for the kindness, the example & the time together doing what we love most.
RA
Ps
I found this pic from 2 years ago (Mr. Jim's last Clifton Rally) of he & Clienmark on Pieboys "ShotSki"! :beer:
