Jim ‘s life was very important to this story!
He was an amazing guy with many accomplishments highlighted here to give tribute to his life!
Annette wrote the following as she was creating one of her ‘hearts’, Reaching for Hope on the Mystery Ship… It explains Jim’s struggle as she sought to understand it.
“After my visualization of receiving divine restoration, healing and comfort, I was thinking about Jim’s final days. He really was seeking a miracle. He was sinking further and further, deeper and deeper into his desperation and pain and wanted someone – anyone – to provide him with instantaneous relief from what had taken almost 60 years to build up. He wanted a miracle, he really did. When no instant miracle appeared, he lost hope. Recently at a group meeting for those who have survived the suicide of a loved one, people were talking and wondering about what might have been the final trigger that pushed their loved one to take their own life. The moderator responded by talking about a glass of water, slowly filling up drop by drop by drop over time. One drop might represent childhood trauma or abuse, one drop might be a failed marriage, another drop financial troubles, another drop a physical illness,. etc. until one day, a drop hits and the glass just overflows. Which drop caused it? The first drop? The last drop? One of those middle drops? No way to tell, but the cumulative effect – not one thing – is what led to the final act of despair. We may have been able to provide comfort and support for their current troubles, but none of us could fix the broken child inside, nor was it our job or responsibility.”
Jim died on 10/14/11 … His Obituary
Annette died on 10/11/14 … Her Obituary (Note the dates – just 3 years apart)
Jim was an assistant professor and program coordinator for the horticulture department at the Nashville State Community College.
Jim was a published author of the book: Okeechobee–A Modern Frontier. In it are many of his black and white photographs that Annette later made paintings of.
Jim was also an accomplished songwriter. These are two favorites!
The Cape …
Real Life …
Our brother Tom is singing both songs on the front porch of their first cabin after their deaths:
The Cape – part 1 and part 2 and Real Life.
Jim wrote a Screenplay that went into production right before his death. It was shown at the Napa Valley Film Festival almost 2 years to the month after his death. It’s the story of a man planning suicide on his birthday. His decision sends him on a spirited adventure that exposes his troubled soul to the simple beauty of life. IMBD
Watch the movie on Amazon Prime:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0F28942QJ/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r
Note at 13:15 Glen picks up a picture that is actually Jim, at 33:00 Annette is sitting at the gambling table, at 37:56 music from Annette’s son Sam’s band at the time: Future Unlimited. Also of interest is Glen travels with a golden retriever (Jim had 2 as long time pets) at 23:09 , Jim used the idea of horseshoe tournaments from the life of our dad at 1:02:00. At 1:13:48 when Glen picks up a hitchhiker he says he can only take him as far as Salida (the future home of the physical hearts!) Also one hour from Salida is the Royal Gorge Bridge.
Annette and other family members put this tribute together for our dad at his funeral, June 2012. We believe Jim got much of his inspiration for the character, Silky in the movie from our dad….So we used Jim’s song ‘The Cape’!
