Death of Prius Chat Member JimofDG 1/17/06

I am sorry it took so long for me to post this, but my membership in this forum was mostly to read the posts that Jim posted here and learn about the Prius as part of his campaign to get me to buy one. As you can guess from my log in name, my name is Peter, though Jim has always called me Pete and we have been friends for 33 years, since meeting in high school in Chicago.

In case you had not heard the news, Jim, that is JimofDG, and avid Prius Chat participant passed away on January 17, 2006 sometime between 9:10 and 9:25 in the morning after collapsing on the CTA elevated Green Line Tracks in Chicago. His death was a result of a long-term battle with MS that only those closest to him were aware of and was probably the direct result of recent changes in the progress of his disease and how it was being treated with new medications.

Click this link for details of his death, his life, and links to his obituary and the Legacy.com online guestbook should you care to participate. At least one Prius member did make a note in the guest book already representing the group as a whole, but if you and Jim had a special online relationship you have the opportunity to put something down here. His wife, Jan, still checks it very regularly.

As Jim's friend for the last 33 years I just want you all to know how very much he enjoyed being a part of this forum. Remember him with joy, not with sadness, and that you as a group provided him with a great deal of excitement and good clean, fuel-efficient fun. Jim regularly regaled me about his activities in this group, how you all track each other's mileage, trips to get your cars, how he did a report on his own pick-up in Michigan, and how much he enjoyed getting together for the local group photo which he kept on his desk at work at CTA in Chicago. Think about that.

Feel free to copy this post and cross-post it somewhere else. The link has an extended message about Jim and his life, some of which you might find interesting, as well as links to the obituary, and the guestbook. There was also a Tribune story a few days later that had some comprehensive detail.

Sorry for the delay in posting this. I got hit hard by this one and while I knew that there were some here that would want to know, once I saw the guestbook entry I figured someone must have spread the word. It was only when I could not find a post tonight that I thought I should put one up. This has also been a tough one to face.

Peter

Peter