Much Loved
I went to Jim's funeral today. It was a graveside service - no church service. These are generally shorter services, but it still went about an hour. It was a beautiful sunny day out. The wind left much to be desired, but oh well. The cemetary sits in such a location as to look down upon the town and out upon snow capped mountains on every side. It is also an old cemetary. Jim was laid to rest next to someone who was born in 1822.
If you had parked all of the cars end to end, they would have gone between 1 and 2 miles long. There were between 100 and 200 people.
Our kids were marched over to the cemetary, through town. Damn they looked sharp in their uniforms, marching in step, with the company flag out in front. They stopped on a side street to let the procession of cars go by....for 25 MINUTES!!! It was amazing. Jim's wife held off the funeral until the Challenge kids could arrive as she so wanted them to be a part of this. Once they arrived, the Commandant lined them up on either side of the walkway and Jim's casket was carried between them. Very moving, very respectful.
During the rites, the officiant talked about all of the endeavors Jim had been involved in for the welfare of people in the town. He was a Mason/Shriner, volunteer fireman, mayor (13 years), city counselman, Scout leader, director of the local Meals-on-Wheels, and I'm sure other things that I have forgotten. The officiant said that above them all, Jim was most devoted to and most proud of the cadets of Montana Youth Challenge. That he loved each and every cadet that came through our program and was extremely proud of every graduate. They were 'his kids'. I can tell you that up to that time, if there had been any dry eyes, they weren't any longer. Even the cadets who hadn't known Jim teared up then.
Seeing all of the people who attended and watching that amazing procession of cars, fire trucks, police cars, etc...I can tell you that Jim Wilson was an extremely well loved man. He left many people behind. All of us wondering 'why?'.
As the director of Challenge told me this morning...." The sheer love that the people in this town had for Jim Wilson would have overcome his legal problem. He was a good man with a HUGE heart."
If you had parked all of the cars end to end, they would have gone between 1 and 2 miles long. There were between 100 and 200 people.
Our kids were marched over to the cemetary, through town. Damn they looked sharp in their uniforms, marching in step, with the company flag out in front. They stopped on a side street to let the procession of cars go by....for 25 MINUTES!!! It was amazing. Jim's wife held off the funeral until the Challenge kids could arrive as she so wanted them to be a part of this. Once they arrived, the Commandant lined them up on either side of the walkway and Jim's casket was carried between them. Very moving, very respectful.
During the rites, the officiant talked about all of the endeavors Jim had been involved in for the welfare of people in the town. He was a Mason/Shriner, volunteer fireman, mayor (13 years), city counselman, Scout leader, director of the local Meals-on-Wheels, and I'm sure other things that I have forgotten. The officiant said that above them all, Jim was most devoted to and most proud of the cadets of Montana Youth Challenge. That he loved each and every cadet that came through our program and was extremely proud of every graduate. They were 'his kids'. I can tell you that up to that time, if there had been any dry eyes, they weren't any longer. Even the cadets who hadn't known Jim teared up then.
Seeing all of the people who attended and watching that amazing procession of cars, fire trucks, police cars, etc...I can tell you that Jim Wilson was an extremely well loved man. He left many people behind. All of us wondering 'why?'.
As the director of Challenge told me this morning...." The sheer love that the people in this town had for Jim Wilson would have overcome his legal problem. He was a good man with a HUGE heart."