Date of death:   December 12, 2007

Age:  66

Residence at time of death:  Gallatin, Tennessee

Family:  Wife, Wilma

Jim's life:  Jim spent 23 years as a parole and probation officer for Cook County, work that brought him into contact with serious criminals.   Nevertheless, his widow Wilma recalls, he loved every minute of it.   He was also active in the Lions Club.  Upon retirement in 2003, he and his wife moved to Tennessee, where they opened a business that provided billing services to the medical profession.

Wilma wrote the Class of 1959 this note:

"Jim was so proud to be a part of Highland Park High School.  He frequently spoke of good times and good friends.  How many times did we drive past the school just to remember?   Jim remembered birthdays.  He'd come in and say something to the effect that it was _____'s birthday.  I wish we had done a better job of keeping in contact with everyone.

"As you know, Jim was a very determined individual.  As a disabled person, being a part of the public school system was unheard of in the 1950's.  He didn't consider himself disabled; he simply had a harder time doing certain things than his peers.  He worked very hard to earn his masters degree from DePaul in the Administration of Rehabilitation Facilities.   Jim chose to apply his knowledge to being a probation officer.  He earned several awards and many success stories from probationers.  We were very proud of his accomplishments.

"One of his proudest personal accomplishments was finishing the basement in our house.  I don't know where or how he learned to do some of the jobs required, but he did it.  He moved his den to the basement.  I guess it was a good place to escape me!  We frequently vacationed in the Nashville area.  We found both the environment and the people to be beautiful.  When Jim retired, we decided to move to Tennessee.  We found a beautiful home on the outskirts of town.  He joked that we were only one stoplight from Wal-Mart.  When someone from Chicago would ask where Gallatin was, Jim would describe it as being "the Highland Park of Nashville." 

"He quickly made friends with all the neighbors.  He also became quickly involved in the volunteer world at the local hospital.  Jim was a loving person.  We were married for 30 years.  He often joked that he was born married!  He spoiled me rotten and I miss him desperately."