AUGUSTA – Raise a glass and “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” as we celebrate a toast to Jim’s final road trip to the Great Casino in the Sky.

With warm sunshine on his face and the magical sound of slot machines calling him home, he is downshifting the Mustang into overdrive and hitting the road “with no particular place to go.”

Sure to be trading tall tales with Old Buddies about how he survived everything from two tours in Vietnam, a broken neck, liver transplant, and even the Townsend Sisters back in the day – only to be taken out by a one-two punch of kidney failure and liver cancer on Jan. 31, 2022. “Eh, whataya gunna do?”

Predeceased by his parents Helen and George; and partner in crime – sister, Sherri. Jim is survived by sisters Judy, Cindy and Sarah.

He contributes the miracle of actually having lasted 73 years on this Earth entirely to his wife, Nancy, whose 29-year marriage was kept alive with his “surprises” of falling off roofs, slipping into comas, and “denting” almost every single vehicle he owned. Born a natural storyteller with a slightly unusual sense of humor – Jim’s entire life was simply just material for his amazing stories, oftentimes leaving listeners both fully amused and completely confused as to whether it was actually appropriate to laugh or not, considering the seriousness of the situation he just joked about. According to Jim – it is always appropriate. Using humor is how he survived.

Throughout the years he held many titles – Student, Soldier, Employee, Store Owner, Husband, Father, ….. However, his all-time favorite will always be Grampy. After his children Tracy, Erica and Greg, and his stepchildren Gary and Linda – Jim was most proud of his Lucky 13 – his gang of grand and great-grandchildren. He personified the role so much so that other family, friends and coworkers all knew him as “Grampy Jim”.

With special thanks to his liver donor, Richard, for the amazing gift of an extra 20 years to spend with his family – Jim would like to remind everyone that becoming an organ donor saves lives.

On April 30 a service and reception will be held at the First Parish Congregational Church in Pownal at 1 p.m., followed by a presentation at the Elmwood Cemetery Memorial. A Celebration of Life will be held that evening at the Durham AMVETS Hall at 5 p.m. All are invited.

“Love ya, Drive Careful. Roll On.”

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