What is your favorite JMC memory?
Post written by: MattCasey
I have sooo many that I can’t decide on a favorite now… Let me think on it for awhile, and I’ll get back to you. I Want to hear yours… add your comments below – Matt
Post written by: MattCasey
I have sooo many that I can’t decide on a favorite now… Let me think on it for awhile, and I’ll get back to you. I Want to hear yours… add your comments below – Matt
You must be logged in to post a comment.
May 11th, 2011 at 2:16 am
When I was in my teens, my Mom (Barbara) and step-dad (Dennis), took my step family (Adam and Brian) to Disney World. On the way down to Florida, we stopped in Georgia to visit with Uncle Jim and Cousins Matt and Jim. I don’t remember what part of Georgia it was, but Uncle Jim had a one-story house and he had all these brass statues that he said he got from Korea. He was always so excited about all the great deals you could get in Korea. Anyway, Uncle Jim took all of us to the Army Base nearby, and showed us the different Helicopters and patiently explained to us excited kids in a general way how to go about flying them. I remember thinking “Wow! My uncle is so smart to be able to fly one of these things with all the crazy controls that he showed us.” Then the next day, I think Matt had a Jeep Wrangler that he drove us in, which I thought was the coolest thing in the world, to a Goergia football game. We watched the game and I remember asking Uncle Jim questions about the football team and he was always so patient and kind answering any questions I had for him. I don’t remember who won the game that day, but I will always remember my Uncle Jim and the great example that he set for me as a man.
May you Rest in Peace Uncle Jim
May 11th, 2011 at 5:35 am
Mikey… You need to always end that story with the Dawgs won big that day and we celebrated into the night! I still marvel at the patience he was always able to maintain… and I am sure I tested it a time or two! Never lost his cool
May 11th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
Although we had heard many stories about him, and had conversed via emial several times, we didn’t meet Jim until January, 2009.
Jim was always ready to cheer us on during Lenny’s Wellness Program, and his emails of encouragement were particularly helpful to me during those 20 weeks. At the end of the program, the participants got together in Tampa to celebrate our accomplishments. Our treat? Gasparilla!! For anyone who may not know, Gasparilla is an annual ‘Pirate Festival’ that draws hundreds of thousands of people —
“Mardi Graaarrrrrrrrgh”, if you will.
Meeting Jim that weekend was akin to seeing family again after a long spell. He and Jerry and I sat and talked and laughed as though we had known each other forever. Instant Rapport!! We know he had this effect on everyone he ever met.
We’ll never forget the ride to the festival…eleven happy/crazy people jammed into Willy and Judy’s SUV, dressed in full pirate regalia, singing “Sweet Caroline” at the top of our lungs — with Jim ‘s voice topping us all!
It rained that day…but it didn’t matter a bit. Just being together was more than enough, and much of the day’s good vibes were due to Jim, Willy and Lenny’s fondness for one another that spilled over onto us all.
Meeting Jim, and spending this short amount of time with him, ranks among the Top Three best memories I will ever have — and I can speak for Jerry here as well.
We will miss, you, Jim…
Clare and Jerry
May 13th, 2011 at 2:13 am
The memories of sharing our children and grandchildren are many my favorite. Big Jim was my daughter’s father in law and prior to meeting him, we heard how wonderful he was. My daughter adored her father in law and rightfully so. Our first meeting was when our children got married almost 10 years ago.
My first impression was he was a quiet, low key man with an “Irish Smile” that could bring a smile to your face, and yes his red hair. As one of the groomsmen at Jim and Valerie’s wedding he got to walk my 75 year old mother down the isle to her seat. My mother looked at Big Jim and said “Look at you with your red hair”, my mother too is a “red head”, a bond all “red heads” are proud to share. Jim just smile his big smile, took my mother and wrapped his arm around hers and walked her down the isle to witness her granddaughter marry his son. I think my mother thought…if this man’s son is anything like him my granddaughter is one lucky girl. Yes she is.
Over the past ten years we have had the honor of sharing our grandchildren, visiting over Thanksgiving Dinner, seeing Jim at Val and Jim’s in NY. We have grown to love Matt, Tania and the boys, and enjoyed visiting with Dillion when he would arrive with Big Jim. One evening I had the pleasure of sitting with Jim, his sister Maureen and his cousin Mary at Val and Jim’s, looking at childhood pictures and watching a family full of love.
My husband and I are devastated for Jim, Val, Matthew, Tania and Dillion but we are most devastated for POP-POP’s grandchildren that him loved so dearly and he was so proud of.
Today will also be a memory of Jim we will never forget. His family’s grief and pain, but also their celebration of a wonderful loving man. His son’s did him proud. God Bless and may you rest in peace our dear friend.
May 16th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
Though I never knew your father. Our country has obviously lost a patriot. I will keep him and his family in my prayers.