Dear JJ,
Your uncle Jimmy would have been 60 years old today - he died in 2006 from lung cancer. You were named after him. Jimmy never had children - he had a cancer early in life that took away that ability, but he loved kids - -and was known to play endlessly with them, even when he didn't have the energy to do so.
I miss your uncle greatly. But in you I see a lot of him. You have that grin that you flash when you know you are getting away with something- the same smile my brother had - in fact, he wore that smile almost all the time. You are very social - even at this age- and Jimmy knew everyone. Most of the people at his memorial service knew him since he was a kid in Ketchikan.
So- here are a few photographs of your uncle, some when he was a little boy.
He was a good man- and not too many things make your daddy cry- but missing him, and seeing you are two of them.
James Erick Simpson 12/2/1951 - 12/7/2006 RIP
Love,
Dad
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Jimmy's High School Photo |
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Mom holding Jimmy, brother Ron |
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The three boys- Jimmy on the right |
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In Ketchikan- Jimmy loved Christmas |
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Ron and his little brother Jimmy |
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After Jimmy died I asked my friend Jim Hunt to do a cartoon for us |
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Terry, Ron, Jimmy - a long time ago |
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One of the last photos of Jimmy taken in November 2006 |
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Suffering from cancer, losing weight- still ready to eat |
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Jimmy's famous dog, Judas - |
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Jimmy, wife Bev, and my dad |
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Jimmy - on a beach - and now forever in our hearts |