Here's the one thing I actually like about Facebook: it can connect you with people you might otherwise have never known. That's what happened with me and James Oliver Jr.
He actually found me after my sister Robin died. Not only was he once the family's paperboy, he went to school with Robin. Then in later years he was good friends with Clancy. But I never knew him.
Anyhoo, once we became FB friends, I'd scope out his page to see what he was like. He was a big guy, bald, long beard, loved heavy metal music and motorcycles, sang, played guitar, loved his job, camped and fished. Wow, I thought: he keeps busy!
Jamie was a devoted family man. You know I had to go through his pictures! He loved his wife, their shared kids, and his little grandson. He had so many true friends and he lived and loved life to the fullest.
And then the enemy showed up. Cancer. Need I say more?
Jamie fought the good fight. I prayed for him, had my church pray for him and wanted so much for him to have more time. During this time, he never stopped smiling, never stopped loving, and continued to work at the job he loved so much. He was able to keep people up-to-date on how he was doing. And he would even take time out to message me, or read my blog, or like something of mine on FB. And at the end of the day: he didn't even know me! But that's how we got to be friends.
Clancy isn't on FB so I'd keep him apprised of Jamie's doings. And now I have to tell him that Jamie passed away. What a major bummer...We will go to his service next month.
I wish I'd had more time to get to know Jamie and his wife Kathy through more than just FB. But I love what I did get to know about them.
Here is Jamie. And by the way: I found out from Clancy that I'm the only one that called him Jamie, ha ha. Everyone else called him James or Jim. But Jamie didn't mind!
Oh, and one more thing:
FUCK CANCER.
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