When Tim called last week I was sure it was bad news.  I was so sad to hear Jim had been killed.  I began to think of all the times we shared, the laughs, and the great things Jim did for me.  I lived with the whole family back in 1974 or so.  Jim and I met working at the same place in Beverly; Maestranzi Brothers.  At one point my apartment situation got a bit sketchy and he secretly spoke with Jim and Ruth and then asked if I wanted to live with them for a while.  “It’d be $35 a month” or week or whatever it was, they were in effect subsidizing my life.  I jumped at the chance to get back into the black.  I am and will be forever grateful they made me a part of their family.  

Jim helped me swap out the clutch in my MGB, right out in front of the house on Easern Ave in Beverly.  He was always there for a friend.

After I had moved back to my home town of Clinton, CT., Jim was on his way back to the Coast Guard Base on Governor’s Island in New York.  He’d been home on leave and was riding his 650 Yamaha.  That night, it was early April or something, 25 or 30 degrees, he was getting frostbite and hypothermia and knew he had to stop and warm up.  Jim knew where we lived in Connecticut.  On that night, I was out of town but when he knocked on the front door my father tells me about this shivering freezing cold Jim Radcliff at the door asking for me and if he could come in to warm up a bit.  “Like hell, a bit.”, my father told him.  “We’re taking you to the train.”  My dad relates how Jim was shivering so uncontrollably he was probably at or near hypothermic.  There was no way he was going to let him get back on the bike and ride the 100 miles back to the base at night with the temperature 30 degrees. Despite Jim’s protests, dad won out and they agreed dad would take him over to the train.

Jim was shipping out for 6 months or so and as he was getting out of the car at the train station, he handed  the keys for the bike to my dad saying, give these to Jim and tell him he can use it.  Once again, Jim to the rescue.  My fuel injection pump had failed, my car was apart, and I needed transportation.  Now I had a bike with Spring and Summer coming, Suhweeet!!

Jim would often go above and beyond.  He was a good friend to me and all the Radcliffs were a good family for me when I needed them.  

Sad and so sorry for Jeanette and the kids and all the rest who knew and loved Jim.

I have posted a picture of three pairs of Fathers and Sons.  It was a fun but short tradition as we all moved to far away to continue.  On a few Fathers Days, Jim and Jim and my friend Chip and his dad Bob, and my dad- also Jim- and I would go for a sailing adventure.  We sailed my boat or chartered a boat.  This picture is one of our Father Son cruises.  We sailed over landed on, pirated, and ate lunch out on Great Misery Island off Manchester, MA.  



Those were fun times.  This Yacht adventure reminds me of Tim’s and mine when we went out in his boat on Salem Sound one night and he thought it would be a good idea to camp on the island infested with rats.  Never could figure out why he liked rats.  Oh, I remember now, it was the beer.  

Those are the times we need to remember always.  
The good memories are what we smile at.
I will miss my friend, Jim.

Love to all ….  Jim Pennock  Marblehead, MA.

Jeannette, kids and extended family,
We are so sorry for your loss.  Jimmy treated me so well in our trips to Mass. & New Hampshire.  Our prayers & best wishes are with you all!  I hope this pulls the "WHOLE" family together very strong.  As we find out too often, life is too short.  Please call and come down here and relax!

Love, TJ

To the family,
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Love, Tonya, Jenna, Jason, Kristin, Sean, Laura, Edie, Dick and Therese

Kyle and family, 
I was deeply saddened to hear about your loss. I know it was so unexpected. You have my deepest sympathy. My prayers and thoughts are with you. 

Melissa Salisbury
OCM

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

James "Bones" Radcliff

28 janvier 1954 – 3 octobre 2009

Schoedinger Midtown

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