Monday, September 7, 2020
Dear Mary Jo and family,
Your loss is unfathomable and you are in my prayers for years to come.
I knew Jim mostly as a talented co-worker. We all spend a great deal of our limited time on Earth working, and it is more than fair in the aftermath of a shock like this to question what it all means.
I cannot speak to Jim the family man, but you have each other and the connections you have forged and will continue to build in the days ahead.
Jim’s work was so much more than hours spent in front of a computer screen. Yes, he created, managed, nursed, repaired, and maintained our IT network. Probably two other people in the company understood what he did and how he did it. But his work was so much more than keystrokes and genius.
In a year of unprecedented disruption, he enabled over 150 families to continue working, keeping roofs over their heads and food on their tables. Working remotely was easier and more seamless than we ever dreamed, thanks to Jim.
By enabling communication, data sharing, and collaboration across the miles, the design staff could continue to prepare plans necessary for school repairs, expansions, and replacements. Thousands of children will ultimately learn in better, more supportive facilities, thanks to Jim.
Even during a pandemic and an economic downturn, people still need to travel. Roads wear out and don’t repair themselves. Road repairs take design, documents, permits, details, all of which got done, thanks to Jim.
Water systems age out and need upgrades, and the pandemic has caused rare dangers from system inactivity. Technical guidance was prepared and shared across the miles to enable clean water to continue to flow, thanks to Jim.
He would patiently try to explain the why and how behind his recommendations and the systems that he developed and maintained. His explanations often included a smile, a laugh, an eye roll about something odd or annoying, and a tug or two at the corners of his shirt. Sometimes, after much repetition on his part, I would understand. Most times, I would just say “I trust you.”
Apart from work, we shared a common love of baseball and college basketball. I enjoyed sharing observations and getting his perspective.
Jim meant a lot to us, and we will miss him and his contributions terribly.
May you take strength and solace from your memories and bear each day in support of each other.
God bless.
