I remember Jimmy from my final two years at WSHS. He dated Cindy Smith those years and I was a steady of her older sister, Vivian. Have fond memories of time shared, especially when we were invited to join the Smith family on a trip to Hershey Park our senior year. We had a blast! Please accept my belated condolences to the surviving members of Jimmy's family. His passing was far earlier than he deserved. May he rest in peace.
Hello to All of Jim's Classmates. This is Jimmy wife, Annamarie. I wanted to have access to this site so I can see what Jimmy's old high school friends would say about him. Thank you so much to Greg Martin for contacting Ruby Grooms and thank you to Ruby for getting things set up for me.
I thought it would be nice for me to post about my life with Jimmy. We met in 1991, moved in together 2 months after we met, engaged five years later and married two years after that in 1998. I say I was married for 27 years even though it was only 20 officially. Jimmy and I had a typical marriage, up/down, lifes bumps took its toll and well in the end we persevered and had a lovely marriage and life together. We traveled to many places, Cancun, Mexico, the Grand Canyon, Key West, FL multiple times and many beaches along they way. We bought a beautiful home in Springfield where I still live. Although we never had children of our own, we always had a fur baby to dote on......our first feline was Sarah and she adored Jimmy, and then we brought Bella and Meena into our our lives after Sarah left us at 17 1/2 years of age. Jimmy was hearbroken, she would his mistress. LOL!
I think back on my life with Jimmy and can say with 100% certainty that I would not be who I am today if it were not for him, he was a good, loving husband. Went to work everyday, did not drink heavily and did not do drugs. Jimmy enjoyed the simple things in life and definitely enjoyed a good meal with family and friends. He was ridiculously supportive of anything I ever wanted to do, return to school, start a business and become a yoga teacher. He supported me in all those desires and stepped up to take care of our home while I pursued my goals.
We had finally gotten to the twilight of our life and JImmy came in from doing the lawn, complaining of pain in his chest. After some testing, it was discovered he had esophogeal cancer, stage 3. After chemothereapy and radiation, consecutively, and then a very invasive surgery it was discovered there was now lymphnode involvement. It was only 8 months when the cancer returned and Jimmy died peacefully on November 17, 2018. In total, 13 months from diagnosis to death, much of which was miserable for him, I believe. And, you know what, not one complaint from Jimmy. He was so brave! He fought HARD!
May my beloved husband rest peacefully now. I love you!
Annamarie - Thank you for sharing ! Its so appreciated to get the background story and life of a classmate. I often wonder the journey one has been on before they are sadly taken from us. Please feel free to write more and share those memories! Jimmy was one of those classmates that I met way back in 60s when I first moved to Virginia. Skateboarding, kickball, riding bikes, hide and go seek were just some of the neighborhood activites. Regret taking him for granite, he was such a nice guy ALL though the remaining 8 years of school together. RIP Jimmy!
Annamarie, I can easily believe that Jimmy never gave in to his cancer. Whenever I interacted with him, his positive attitude clearly surfaced as he approached uncertainty with full confidence. Indeed, he was a fighter. Please take comfort knowing when his time had come that he faced it with quiet dignity.
Annamarie, please dry your eyes and relieve the sorrow felt so deeply. I, too, have lost dear ones over the years and try to lessen the weight on my heart by such utter sadness remembering those precious moments shared with the departed and their unbridled love of life. Let's celebrate the joy they brought us and keep alive this portrait of a life well lived. Sleep well knowing they suffer no more.
Dear Annamarie, I did not know Jim well but I wanted to offer my condolences. I, too, lost my husband John, of esophageal cancer on June 29, 2023. It is a brutal disease. I understand the path you had to go on and I'm truly sorry. Love to you and May Jim rest in peace. I am on Facebook
Hi, Susan. Please accept my condolences for your late husband. Losing those we love is such a heavy burden on our hearts and souls. Turning to family and friends has helped me cope with the void created by such loss. Please know you have support from me and your classmates if ever you need a shoulder to lean upon. Looking forward to meeting you at our 50th.
Richard (Dickie) Pitts
I remember Jimmy from my final two years at WSHS. He dated Cindy Smith those years and I was a steady of her older sister, Vivian. Have fond memories of time shared, especially when we were invited to join the Smith family on a trip to Hershey Park our senior year. We had a blast! Please accept my belated condolences to the surviving members of Jimmy's family. His passing was far earlier than he deserved. May he rest in peace.
Jim Lloyd
Hello to All of Jim's Classmates. This is Jimmy wife, Annamarie. I wanted to have access to this site so I can see what Jimmy's old high school friends would say about him. Thank you so much to Greg Martin for contacting Ruby Grooms and thank you to Ruby for getting things set up for me.
I thought it would be nice for me to post about my life with Jimmy. We met in 1991, moved in together 2 months after we met, engaged five years later and married two years after that in 1998. I say I was married for 27 years even though it was only 20 officially. Jimmy and I had a typical marriage, up/down, lifes bumps took its toll and well in the end we persevered and had a lovely marriage and life together. We traveled to many places, Cancun, Mexico, the Grand Canyon, Key West, FL multiple times and many beaches along they way. We bought a beautiful home in Springfield where I still live. Although we never had children of our own, we always had a fur baby to dote on......our first feline was Sarah and she adored Jimmy, and then we brought Bella and Meena into our our lives after Sarah left us at 17 1/2 years of age. Jimmy was hearbroken, she would his mistress. LOL!
I think back on my life with Jimmy and can say with 100% certainty that I would not be who I am today if it were not for him, he was a good, loving husband. Went to work everyday, did not drink heavily and did not do drugs. Jimmy enjoyed the simple things in life and definitely enjoyed a good meal with family and friends. He was ridiculously supportive of anything I ever wanted to do, return to school, start a business and become a yoga teacher. He supported me in all those desires and stepped up to take care of our home while I pursued my goals.
We had finally gotten to the twilight of our life and JImmy came in from doing the lawn, complaining of pain in his chest. After some testing, it was discovered he had esophogeal cancer, stage 3. After chemothereapy and radiation, consecutively, and then a very invasive surgery it was discovered there was now lymphnode involvement. It was only 8 months when the cancer returned and Jimmy died peacefully on November 17, 2018. In total, 13 months from diagnosis to death, much of which was miserable for him, I believe. And, you know what, not one complaint from Jimmy. He was so brave! He fought HARD!
May my beloved husband rest peacefully now. I love you!
Ruby Grooms (Goober)
Annamarie - Thank you for sharing ! Its so appreciated to get the background story and life of a classmate. I often wonder the journey one has been on before they are sadly taken from us. Please feel free to write more and share those memories! Jimmy was one of those classmates that I met way back in 60s when I first moved to Virginia. Skateboarding, kickball, riding bikes, hide and go seek were just some of the neighborhood activites. Regret taking him for granite, he was such a nice guy ALL though the remaining 8 years of school together. RIP Jimmy!
Richard (Dickie) Pitts
Annamarie, I can easily believe that Jimmy never gave in to his cancer. Whenever I interacted with him, his positive attitude clearly surfaced as he approached uncertainty with full confidence. Indeed, he was a fighter. Please take comfort knowing when his time had come that he faced it with quiet dignity.
Jim Lloyd
@Richard Pitts..........."quiet dignity"........so eloquently described.......perfect actually!
My eyes are leaking for some reason......head bow.
Richard (Dickie) Pitts
Annamarie, please dry your eyes and relieve the sorrow felt so deeply. I, too, have lost dear ones over the years and try to lessen the weight on my heart by such utter sadness remembering those precious moments shared with the departed and their unbridled love of life. Let's celebrate the joy they brought us and keep alive this portrait of a life well lived. Sleep well knowing they suffer no more.
Susan Mickle (D'Emidio)
Dear Annamarie, I did not know Jim well but I wanted to offer my condolences. I, too, lost my husband John, of esophageal cancer on June 29, 2023. It is a brutal disease. I understand the path you had to go on and I'm truly sorry. Love to you and May Jim rest in peace. I am on Facebook
Richard (Dickie) Pitts
Hi, Susan. Please accept my condolences for your late husband. Losing those we love is such a heavy burden on our hearts and souls. Turning to family and friends has helped me cope with the void created by such loss. Please know you have support from me and your classmates if ever you need a shoulder to lean upon. Looking forward to meeting you at our 50th.