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I first met Jimmy, or Frizz, at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. He immediately embraced me as a friend as he did with everyone else he met. His outgoing personality, always having a joke or a story to tell, his caring for all made him a very special friend to all.
We were soccer teammates at Winston Churchill High School where he protected me from my own foolishness. As I goofed around assistant coach Kirchgasner told me to run hills as punishment but made Frizz get on my back as a way to teach me a lesson. As we all know, Jimmy was a formidable individual and having him on my back would have indeed taught me a good lesson. As we started up the hill, Frizz somehow managed to plant his toes and boost me up without the coach noticing….I have never forgotten that little act of kindness, the lesson he taught me of always helping and being kind to others and his incredible friendship. That was Frizz, always finding a way to help you become a better person.
He loved to sing, having a beautiful rich bass voice. I remember hearing his voice for the first time and thinking it was like listening to God telling Noah to build an ark.
After High School Frizz returned to his beloved North Carolina and attended NC State. He was Wolfpack and I was a Terp, leading to some great taunting and fun when our schools played each other, especially in basketball. Every time we saw each other our friendship didn’t miss a beat, it was like I was with him the day before.
He sang with the Master’s Men Gospel Chorus and was also a member of the Carolinas Barbershop Chorus. He was a nationally recognized singer with a smooth yet resonant and silky bass voice.
He battled his weight problem for years, usually losing the fight. Finally, never giving up, he fought the fight one more time and started winning. Last time I spoke to him, not to long ago, he told me he was down over 130 pounds and had only 20 more pounds to go to be at his High School weight. He couldn’t wait to surprise all next year at our 50th reunion.
Frizz was a down-to-earth, wonderful friend….how I will miss doing the hills again and hearing his beautiful voice.
submitted by Gonzalo Accame
Jim “little Frizz” as we have called him since 1965, lived down the street and around the corner from me. We grew up together, rode go carts together, worked together, went to Hoover and Churchill together… And hung out at his house 24/7.
He was funny, crazy, sarcastic and had the biggest heart in the whole wide world. At Churchill, he played soccer and was in the school plays! After graduation from high school, we worked construction together and every day little Frizz sat in the bathtub eating a half smoke and drinking Tiger Ginger ale. Then, he moved down to Raleigh to go to NC State. He never came back…
Jim had the most beautiful voice I ever heard and he sang all day long. He loved his family, friends, and looked so much forward to the 50th Churchill reunion. He will watch us from above!
I know little Frizz is up there in the heavenly choir right now and he will hold the perfect note for eternity!
submitted by Rick Bradley https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/raleigh-nc/james-frisbie-8956501
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Jean Wadhams (Geller)
Frizz was my friend, my bodyguard (self designated), my plus one, my go-to for shenanigans and his home was my second home. 50 years ago, we - and the rest of the WCHS choir - sang together on the ellipse as Nixon lit the National Christmas tree and the New Year was always celebrated at his home with black eyed peas and cold duck. (Was there really squirrel in that big black pot in their driveway?!?)
After WCHS, he returned to his southern roots and I to my yankee ones for college, but despite his disdain, we remained friends. After moving to California, most of the rest of the next 49 years, we were telephone friends, but a few years ago, I drove my daughter to a New York college by way of North Carolina. The Frisbie house was as welcoming as ever and my daughter ate her first shrimp and cheese grits and heard WAY too much about our teen years! (cow club? WTF!)
My heart is broken that we didn't have more time, more phone calls, more reunions. I've been married for 36 years, but Frizz was supposed to be my date for our 50th reunion. I will always yearn to hear that deep southern drawl and be eternally grateful that he was my very dear friend.
Mary Flynn
Does anyone remember when Jim was running for class office, and he sailed dozens of miniature frisbees into the audience? We were all collected in the school auditorium for the candidate speeches, and Jim commanded the room
That bit of showmanship was pure Jim, but truthfully, it was unnecessary. His speech was mesmerizing. He would have won without the mini frizbees. Sorry to whoever was running against him!