Truly sorry..hope you all remember me..Steve Corwin. .message me..253 310 6190

I am Peggy and Jim is my closest cousin, being born one month after me.  After the war, when everyone was back in Seattle, the brothers and their wives and children would head out of town to visit 'grandma' once a month.  I love trains.  Let me explain.

Jim and I, being first borns, would take off up the train tracks behind Grandma's house with the admonishment to 'be careful'.  First, we were able to get away from six other younger siblings. Second, there was always the excitement of wondering if a train would actually come.  Eventually all 8 cousins would take off up the railroad tracks.  But Jim and I would eat quickly and then head for the tracks. I remember easy conversations with a lot of laughter while balancing on the rails.  I'm sure my love if trains is mixed up with my enjoyment of these early youthful days of quiet discussions along the railroad tracks with my closest cousin, Jim.  He is missed.

I started babysitting for the Bovee family when I was 12 years old and I became my main job until I turned 18 and had a family of my own. My most memorable story of Mr. Bovee as I always referred to him was one evening I was sitting the kids and I decided to help out with the laundry. I washed his white dress shirts with a pair of Mrs Bovee's red underwear. Yes the shirts came out all pink. When the Bovee's got home I was sitting in the living room sobbing. When they walked in I cried harder. Mr. Bovee asked what was wrong? I held up his shirts and cried some more. I said that I accidently put a pair of red underwear in the washer with his shirts. He just shook his head and started to laugh. The next day when I arrived to babysit, he was wearing the pink shirt. He is now the Guardian Angel for his children and grandchildren.

From Don Bovee

Here is the message regarding your Dad that I would have liked to have left. Perhaps you can post it to the site if I don't succeed from France.
 
I believe I was eleven years old. My cousin Jim told that he had begun working out. Tarzan, Lex Barker at that time, had 16" biceps (or 15", I'm not sure) and Jim was going to have the same. In those days, we saw each other every month at our grandparents. Jim was finishing high school. Five months later he had achieved his goal, which he proudly showed me. I was the only boy on my side of our two close families. I was impressed. In those days biceps were everything. They had become a sort of short description for what it was to be a man. Our family is not what anyone would call a family of body builders. Jim's biceps would be our first and last attempt to join the world of the Arnold Schwarzeneggers.
 
Jim was like that. He was always chasing after something new, trying it out, achieving some goal known only to him, and then moving on. But that's not what keeps him inside of me. Whenever we have come together as a family, Jim would ask me what I was doing. I think that like most people, I would launch into my latest interests and eventually, realizing how long I had been talking, I would ask the same question of him. His answers were always short but accurate, and then he would ask me another question about my interests, a questions that made it clear he had been listening, that he cared about what I had told him. Now, when I find myself talking about myself, I stop myself and ask the person I am talking to what they are doing. I try to do this in the way that Jim did, in order to truly understand the person that I am talking to and what interests them. When I do this, I remember Jim. I am still not very good at it, but I am getting better.

I believe I was eleven years old. My cousin Jim told that he had begun working out. Tarzan, Lex Barker at that time, had 16" biceps (or 15", I'm not sure) and Jim was going to have the same. In those days, we saw each other every month at our grandparents. Jim was finishing high school. Five months later he had achieved his goal, which he proudly showed me. I was the only boy on my side of our two close families. I was impressed. In those days biceps were everything. They had become a sort of short description for what it was to be a man. Our family is not what anyone would call a family of body builders. Jim's biceps would be our first and last attempt to join the world of the Arnold Schwarzeneggers.
 
Jim was like that. He was always chasing after something new, trying it out, achieving some goal known only to him, and then moving on. But that's not what keeps him inside of me. Whenever we have come together as a family, Jim would ask me what I was doing. I think that like most people, I would launch into my latest interests and eventually, realizing how long I had been talking, I would ask the same question of him. His answers were always short but accurate, and then he would ask me another question about my interests, a questions that made it clear he had been listening, that he cared about what I had told him. Now, when I find myself talking about myself, I stop myself and ask the person I am talking to what they are doing. I try to do this in the way that Jim did, in order to truly understand the person that I am talking to and what interests them. When I do this, I remember Jim. I am still not very good at it, but I am getting better.

This is Bret Espey.  I was talking with a high school friend about Stephanie, who I haven't seen in a while.  I decided to look her up, and the information came up about James.  I would like to express my condolences to your family.  If there's anything I can do please let me know - I would also just love to hear from Stephanie if this message gets to her (cell 206 406 5007)

Always enjoyed visiting with Jim  during our days at OHMC.  He was a kind, knowledgeable man and leaves behind great memories for so many of us.

I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of cousin Jim. My love and condolences are with you.
Love, Aunt Kathy

OBITUARY

James Clair Bovee

27 April, 1943 – 19 January, 2014

Greenwood Memorial Park & Funeral Home

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