A remembrance by Bud Eugster
As many of us found out, our closest friends at Carleton turned out to be those with whom we lived during our freshman year. I met Jim the first day of school, as we were “down the hall friends” on fourth Davis and we remained friends until his death Dec. 30, 2010.
Jim was a man of many nicknames including Jim, Jay, Lams, and Fred (a name that came from his high school friends and one that he never liked my bringing to Carleton). I think we all remember him best as “Lams”.
Lams was a fun loving guy with an infectious giggle. You couldn’t help but be caught up in it, whether it was in the dorm, the library, or in a seminar. It was hard to believe such a big man could giggle like a little girl. In later years any recall of events at Carleton could bring that out in him and affect all in the conversation.
Jim was a hard working college student mixing studies with being a lineman on the Knights’ football team and working part time to defray some of the cost of a Carleton education. In that latter role he started as a dishwasher at Evans working breakfast each morning before making an 8 o’clock class. His senior year his work was as a dorm proctor and he was elected to its highest position, that of being a proctor and mentor to new freshman.
Jim helped form a group of us from fourth Davis that recruited other friends to make up our living situation off campus at Richardson House our sophomore year. This expanded our collection of close friends that remains intact from Carleton to this day.
Lams and I visited each other’s family on vacations, went on canoeing and skiing trips together, and even played a little golf at times. He loved the sport and played it well even after his body was taken over by Parkinson’s disease.
He loved his family and Stillwater, where he grew up. He returned there after law school to work the rest of his life. He enjoyed time on the St Croix and renewing old high school friendships at the many parties that he and Sharon gave on their front yard overlooking the river.
Lams was a good man, a good father, a good husband, and a very good friend. I continue to miss him very much.
Comments
Jim was one of my best friends at Carleton. Once we got acquainted, he started claiming that we were related. I never believed him until he and my mother had a long long talk. And sure enough, it turns out that Jim and I did share some genes, although probably not too many. Small world!