From Steve Ruiter (an old friend of Jim's):
I want to send all my best to Jim and his whole family. I lost my Dad to Lymphoma this year at 68. I have a clue as to what you are all going through. I hope, if nothing else, that I can bring a smile to your face for a short time, and help you remember some of the good times, from when we were all young, strong and full of life.
I got to know Jim (and John, and Steve, and Karen, and Kathy, and Sue) as a kid, and we spent a LOT of time together through swimming. Jim and I were in the same grade, so we went right through the system together... Summers on the Natick Suburban Swim league Rec team, Barracudas, and then Natick High School. I can't begin to add up the hours we spent together. The constant car-pooling, and innumerable age group swim meets, and then trips to away meets gave us tons of time to hang together.
I have many pictures of Jim in my closet: team pictures and newspaper clippings, which I treasure and wish I could share. Here are a few of my fondest memory pictures that I can share:
I can still remember very well one of my very first early morning car-pool rides to Westwood HS. Jim and I were relegated to the back of a station wagon. We lied on our backs and looked out at the stars, still clearly visible in the dark sky, and he made up some story to pass the time on the ride.
I recall an early age group meet, where we were holed up in a gym for the day between races. I would sit and rest, but Jim would be playing basketball all day between his races.
Doug Pond, home of the mighty Natick team (and a few muskrats) offered competitive swim lessons, and Jim and I would show up, even if it was raining. I'm not sure if it was the coaches, or the likelihood of spending time with the girls at the beach that got us there, but we were always there.
I credit Jim with my participation with Natick High swimming my senior year. As late as the day of the first meet, I had decided not to join the team (out of my own selfish pride for not being named a team captain). Jim somehow made it ok for me to join the team. That year we did very well at state, and I ended up getting the award for team MVP. But get this, Jim was named HS swimmer of the year for the whole state by the Boston Globe. Figure that out. I'm still trying to figure out how Jim orchestrated that.
I spoke on the phone with Jay Mahoney yesterday, another old swimming friend. I don't recall ever talking to Jay on the phone before. Jay made a comment that it was just another of Jim's gifts to us, to bring together old friends from way back. I can't agree more.
Quite a journey we've all been on. I'm blessed to have spent some of it with Jim and the Ehrlich family.
Thanks
Steve Ruiter
I want to send all my best to Jim and his whole family. I lost my Dad to Lymphoma this year at 68. I have a clue as to what you are all going through. I hope, if nothing else, that I can bring a smile to your face for a short time, and help you remember some of the good times, from when we were all young, strong and full of life.
I got to know Jim (and John, and Steve, and Karen, and Kathy, and Sue) as a kid, and we spent a LOT of time together through swimming. Jim and I were in the same grade, so we went right through the system together... Summers on the Natick Suburban Swim league Rec team, Barracudas, and then Natick High School. I can't begin to add up the hours we spent together. The constant car-pooling, and innumerable age group swim meets, and then trips to away meets gave us tons of time to hang together.
I have many pictures of Jim in my closet: team pictures and newspaper clippings, which I treasure and wish I could share. Here are a few of my fondest memory pictures that I can share:
I can still remember very well one of my very first early morning car-pool rides to Westwood HS. Jim and I were relegated to the back of a station wagon. We lied on our backs and looked out at the stars, still clearly visible in the dark sky, and he made up some story to pass the time on the ride.
I recall an early age group meet, where we were holed up in a gym for the day between races. I would sit and rest, but Jim would be playing basketball all day between his races.
Doug Pond, home of the mighty Natick team (and a few muskrats) offered competitive swim lessons, and Jim and I would show up, even if it was raining. I'm not sure if it was the coaches, or the likelihood of spending time with the girls at the beach that got us there, but we were always there.
I credit Jim with my participation with Natick High swimming my senior year. As late as the day of the first meet, I had decided not to join the team (out of my own selfish pride for not being named a team captain). Jim somehow made it ok for me to join the team. That year we did very well at state, and I ended up getting the award for team MVP. But get this, Jim was named HS swimmer of the year for the whole state by the Boston Globe. Figure that out. I'm still trying to figure out how Jim orchestrated that.
I spoke on the phone with Jay Mahoney yesterday, another old swimming friend. I don't recall ever talking to Jay on the phone before. Jay made a comment that it was just another of Jim's gifts to us, to bring together old friends from way back. I can't agree more.
Quite a journey we've all been on. I'm blessed to have spent some of it with Jim and the Ehrlich family.
Thanks
Steve Ruiter
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJames Ehrl,
ReplyDeleteThat's what I've always called you- that and Jimmy...but hardly ever Jim. Steve quoted me correctly- you always seem to bring people together.
Jim, we had our most intense aspect of our friendship through swimming with the Barracudas. I remember brother Steve (as an aside, you always referred to your brothers and sisters with the "brother" or "sister" in front of the name-- don't know why, interesting quirk!) telling me about you after one practice at Brandeis. I always looked up to brother Steve, he was always so tall--insert your deadpan face here, ha ha-...but he spoke of you as being an excellent swimmer and someone I would probably like to get to know. He was right and soon after that small conversation about 34 years ago (which I still remember vividly) I met you. Steve was right, you were a gifted athlete. I loved going to afternoon practices mostly because of you and Steve and everyone else in "the lane". Jim, you put up with so much of my selfishness. You saw through to me as a better person than I saw in myself. We were attached to each other during a time when nothing mattered but ourselves and I was, in your own words, your "party friend". It was a very crazy time and we did some crazy things- all memorable-- OK, that one time up in Concord, NH in that bar we used to go to. Top Gun wasn't so far off as a new movie and we did that "You've lost that loving feeling" scene from the movie? Remember that? The entire place was singing with us as we belted out the entire tune- there must have been about 100 people slapping our backs and asking us where we were going to be the next night. We had more than a few invitations to parties that night! And the time we danced on top of a bar to the tune of "Tequila"? Oh boy, they asked us to leave after that...
You always thought I was fairly reckless and footloose. A bit nuts, perhaps? Probably was at the time. But we did have fun and no one got hurt (much) and nothing terrible ever really happened, right?
But then things changed. I found the love of my life and you did too. As the Best Man in my wedding, you gave a wonderful toast and helped organize and sing in a scrappy quartet of singers that lead us out to “Good Night My Love”. We both moved into good lives that have much more meaning and depth in them. You once said you admired me for leaving "the TV industry" and following my passion for educating elementary and middle school students. I told you how much I admired your work and your family. We both came out OK, I think. Jimmy, I now admire your call to heaven and embrace of God. You continue to shine a light in my life and others around you.
I spoke with you last January and although our conversations happened on a very infrequent basis over the last 15 years, we picked up as we left off. Just as true friends do.
It is so nice to see that both of us have grown up and found that which is most important in life and living. With faith and hope and the Golden Rule all in hand, I hope to see you again someday.
I love you, Jimmy. Always have, always will.
Love,
Jay Mahoney