Monday, February 17, 2020
My condolences to Jim's family and loved ones. I worked at Kelly Jr. High as a counselor during the 70;s, and had great respect for Jim. As a fellow veteran, we always got along well. He was a calming influence for the students, during a transitional time in a student's life. I never saw Jim angry or upset, and had a ready smile for the students. He had a wry sense of humor, best exhibited at a retirement party for a wonderfully eccentric lady, who always parked her car too far from the curb. Jim proclaimed, "Dorothy never parked her car, she abandoned it". Always professional, we realized then, Jim had a remarkable sense of irony he rarely showed in school...a fine man!
Chris Portelance, Norwich, CT
