HE WAS A REAL MAN!

His name is Jim, and although he passed on a number of years ago, he lives on. Cantankerous, disposed to few words and very little nonsense, he lives on. A man first and a father foremost, a loving husband always. A gentle soul by anyone’s account, he is, and will always be fresh in my mind and I will be in his debt. He is TLW’s dad!

Today is his birthday, but I think the world has celebrated his birthday everyday, because of his gift to the world: his children. They follow in his footsteps, and live by his examples. They all do or did good works, service to humanity, in the best tradition of Jim. They are not needy, but attended to those that are. All Jim's children are either; teachers of; religion, or math, or administrators of the needs of mentally ill and developmentally challenged, or inspired and successful administrators of higher education. All this is done quietly: there is no fanfare, nor reminders from them. This was Jim’s way; after all, these are Jim’s children.

His stature was one of a small man; but his legacy is one of a large man, both in his content and spirit. There are and were too few like him in this world.

Happy birthday, Jim.