From: Patrick L. Moyna

How do you say good bye to someone you remember being born, someone you you played with as a child. I remember Jimmy, as his mom called him, following the older kids around and asking incessant questions about everything. As he got older, he became more the master of his environment and less the curious youth. Being younger than most of the multitude of cousins in our extended family, he scrambled to stay ahead of the older kids excuses for not spending time with him. It was evident he was a bright little guy. You might fool him once but he caught on quickly. He developed a fascination for nature and delighted in showing anyone who would accompany him the flora and fauna around his home. The family moved often, following jobs and improving the quality of life during the challenging years of WWII. But the family always gravitated back to Benzie County where most of the relatives were located. I lost track of Jim for a number of years after I graduated from college and left the area. But I did run into him from time to time and maintained a tenuous contact through my brother Mike who was the family historian. I saw him more often after I retired from the service, even though we were spread far & wide around the country and the world. But we were never again as close as in our youth when all the families would get together for every major holiday. We missed the best part of growing up and having families of our own. I regret that and Jim probably did also. To Brenda and Irwin and Jim's daughters, whom I never knew, I offer my heart felt condolences, and my prayers for their strength and understanding as we all mourn his loss. It is truly said that the death of any man diminishes us all. May he rest in peace! Pat Moyna