Pop-in-law: I was just thinking about you on your birthday last week and wished you was still here. I hear your voice all the time and I know it is you because you are the only one that called me RONALD! When you left us, me and Steven was expecting and you never got to see Steven's firstborn. He is 6 now. He is definately McDonald all the way. He has those big brown eyes that you all have. We talk about you all the time to him. Mariah talks about how you and her would go out and pick cherry tomatoes and you would walk around the house and have small talk while you would eat them. She is 11 now and already having to run the boys off. She is a doll and such a sweetheart. Steven misses you so much. We all do! One of these days we will see you face to face. Love you pop, Rhonda (Ronald) McDonald

I wasn't ready to say goodbye I didn't know you were going to die There's still so much I need to say I think about you every day I wasn't ready to say goodbye I didn't know you were going to die I visit you often in my sleep I pray the Lord your soul to keep I wasn't ready to say goodbye I didn't know you were going to die I long to see you just once more I want to see you walk through the door I wasn't ready to say goodbye I didn't know you were going to die I want to touch you and hear your voice It seems as though I don't have a choice I wasn't ready to say goodbye I didn't know you were going to die It hurts real bad down deep inside It makes me want to run and hide I wasn't ready to say goodbye I didn't know you were going to die It never gets easier, it never gets better I even wrote you in a letter Because, I'm still not ready to say goodbye!

Even though we did'nt live close to each other , I have alot of great memories with Jim Jr. Our vacations were always wonderful, we (Charles) and I would always go to Jim Sr and Clara's home and Jim and Marie would always come to visit real soon afer we arrived. Jim Jr and Charles reminds me alot of each other, they're both so quiet, but loved to talk, ( to the right person) especially to each other. Charles and Jim Jr could talk forever. Not really loners but did'nt like to be around alot of people unless it was family. They both had alot in common, Charles always said he enjoyed his visits with him, Strange, they passed so close together. But God knows what he's doing, their probally kicking back yacking away, being Fathers Day and all. I will always miss Jim, he was a good person. Mary

I can't believe it's been a year since I've heard your voice and seen your face...It's been the hardest year of my life. I miss you more than words can ever express! Uncle Terry said Remington died yesterday...sorry dad. I hope that God will allow him to join you in heaven, he was a good dog and I know how much you loved eachother. I love you daddy!!!

Dud, I will always remember our pheasant hunting trips as some of the best times I've ever had. It allowed us guys to loosen up and be guys. These memories Matt and I will hold onto for our lifetime. Thanks for planting the seed of the great outdoors in me and in Matthew's life. It is something I look forward to sharing with my sons for as long God will let me. I can't talk about hunting without conceeding that you were, in fact, the best shot in the family. I don't know how you were able get a "head shot" on a pheasant from 40 yards away but you did it repeatedly. Except the time when you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and blamed it on the cheap shotgun shells you bought. So much for being a great shopper, huh? I remember our last Christmas together. You always enjoyed the holidays and put so much of yourself into gift buying so those that you loved could have something special from your heart. When we left to go home that night the spirit of the Lord came to me a said, "you need to go back and tell your brother how much you love him and apprecriate him as it will be your last Christmas together." Naturally, I fought off this tought as it was something I didn't want to validate as being true. Oh, how I wish I could have the opportunity back to let you know how much I looked up to you and admired your strength. I have made a resolution since you and Jeremy have passed on, that I will always let those that I love in my life know how much I love and care about them. As we never know our last day together will be. Thanks, Dud, for all the special life lessons you have tought me. I love you and will see you in heaven. Your brother, Terry

What amazed me about this man was his capacity to love animals. In this family, men are manly men. So I was really impressed when I discovered that Jim was so gentle that he even loved fish babies. He raised birds and made his mother a bird cage for the babies he gave her. For an avid bird hunter, who would have thought that the best shot was also the most compassionate towards God's creatures. Remington, his lab pup , is a living testimony of Jim's patience with animals. Remington will greatly miss Jim, but is adjusting well to life in the country, splashing in the pond and chasing animals through the tall grasses. Our youngest son takes after Jim in loving animals. Every time that I see him cuddling his cat and chasing frogs, I think of Jim and his love for animals. I don't know if he will be the great shooter you were Jim, but he sure loves to fish much like you. I am sure that you are fishing with Lucas, Josh, Jeremy, and Poppy as well as gathering lots of God's gentle creatures to you in Heaven. In loving memory, Becky

I will always remember Jim as the best shopper in the family, even better than all of us girls. He had an eye for a bargain. My first outing with my husband's family was to Bass Pro to hunt for bargains in the Outlet. We followed Jim Jr. around like puppies. He also was the funny man in the family. Jim was married to my best friend Marie. Little did I know that I would be someday married to his brother. You will be truly missed, but we will take great care of Remington till he joins you in Heaven. Soon we will all be there together. Tell our boys Hi, and give Poppy a hug for us! We love you, don't fish too much up there! Becky

I miss the way he called me Lynnie Mae and the daily phone calls and e-mails we would share. I miss the advice he would give me on birds, fish and bargain hunting. I miss our weekend yardsale adventures we had when I was younger, the camping trips we had in the HOT July summers and the early morning wakeup calls on Christmas day. I don't go a day without thinking of him...I still catch myself picking up the phone to give him a call, to tell him the bargain I got at Target or the weird noise my truck is making. I still want to send him a funny e-mail or a picture of the kids. I want to fix him a cup of coffee and buy him a new hat for his collection. I want to see his big brown eyes, his handlebar mustache and the big gap between his front teeth. But most of all I just want to say I love you dad one more time!

We little knew that morning that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly. In death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you. You did not go alone, for part of us went with you the day God called you home. You left us peaceful memories. Your love is still our guide. And though we cannot see you, you are always at our side. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one, the Chain will link again.