My dearest brother in Christ, Mikey!

I am blessed to have known you. We were friends online from  December 19, 2015. You and I were very close. You already know how precious you were to me. 
I look at our chats and I see that we texted just one day before you passed away. 
Dear Mikey, you will always be precious to me. I pray that our Jesus receives you with arms wide open and hugs you real tight and removes all the pain and hurt away. I hope you are watching down on me from heaven and smiling. 
Please pray for me as I will pray for you and I wish to see you in heaven. 
My dear brother Mikey, I will pray for you always. May the loving mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ wash away your pain and your imperfections. I will love you forever, my precious brother. 
Your sister in Christ, 
Bridgette.

I’m so sorry for your loss James would come to me when when he needed to talk to me my son David was James best friend it is a loss I will always remember him I love you James may you Rest In Peace 

When my family and I were discussing who would give James' eulogy, we decided that we would write it together.  It is difficult to put his life into words, but we want to share a bit about who James was and why we love him.

James Michael Wathen was born on January 11th, 1994 in Louisville, CO to James and Carolyn Wathen.  He was the youngest of four children - following his brother John and his sisters Rachel and Esther.

James was a very sweet and affectionate baby.  As a child, he loved spending time with family - feeling like he belonged with his older cousins and playing Chinese Checkers with his grandmother.  Though it was undiagnosed at the time, James was born with a mild form of autism which made things very difficult for him socially, but also led to his becoming a very compassionate and accepting person.

As he got older, he loved to play video games and work on computer programming with his father and brother.  He was also very protective of his mother and sisters. 

James suffered from severe mental illness, including PTSD.  In October of 2016 he got a dog named Czar who would go on to provide comfort and support during times of crisis.

We take comfort from knowing that James' relationship with God grew in the last few years.  From childhood James loved God, and in April of 2018 James made a profession of faith and was baptized. One of his mother's most cherished memories is of him going to mass with her two days before he moved away.

We know that, in his last days, James was full of hope, bravery, and the determination to continue fighting.  We will never stop loving him and being proud of how hard he fought with all of the difficulties he had.

First off I’m so sorry for your loss I will miss him in my heart James called me mom he was like a son to me he always put a smile on my face he looked down to me cause I’m short and he was tall yes James had issues but always had a smile David and James always played around with around with each other and  and know James Is resting in peace I love you and miss you so your heart is with me 

God needed an angel and he chose James.

Love Grandma Marlene

Uncle Jim, Aunt Carolyn, and the family,

I don't know what to say that can help you during this time. James will be missed by all of us. 
I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to see him and spend quality time with him, during our last trip. We had some heart to heart talks about family and life. We had a great time when we went out skateboarding and racing together. 
James, you were not just family but a childhood friend. All of your family and I will miss you!



Jim, Carolyn, John, Rachel, Esther,

Jim and Carolyn,

As a parent, I cannot bear to imagine the pain of losing a child. I am so sorry for this heartbreaking loss. I know things can never be the same. My hope is, maybe this pain will become a little softer over time. 
I am sure James felt he always had a soft place to land, if trouble came his way. Your home was always a place where he could feel safe. I cannot think of anyone I know, that has done more for their child than you.

John, Rachel, Esther,

You all showed your love for James, sometimes in different ways. Still the same, he always knew he had the three of you to count on. I am sure this loss feels unbearable at times. Do your best to lean on each other and remember your times, as children, growing up with James, that will warm your hearts.

May James Rest in Peace




James at the cabin, standing by the creek

James playing fooseball.  Looks like he took it pretty seriously.

Taken at Melb's house during a family visit.  James was being bashful and hanging out at the top of the stairs.  I eventually won  him over and he sat in my lap for a long time.

James as a newborn.  I stopped by Melb's house on the way to work and took these right after James came home from the hospital

James, I wish I had been there.  Love Always, rex

Jim and family,
  We all send our love to your family.  We always remember James coming over when we first moved in on the block.  He was a kind soul and Heaven is blessed to have him.  We are sorry for your loss.
The Rasmussens

To Jim, Carolyn, John, Rachel and Ester I want to express my deepest sorrow for your loss.  To James I would like to express my deepest joy for your current condition.  I was so glad to know that you had what I'll call a recent "spiritual awakening" during which you made a confession of faith in the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  You are now getting to experience in face-to-face time all the blessings associated with the confession of that belief.  You now have personal first-hand experience with the fact  that death has lost it's sting because your soul is still alive and kicking.  No more crying  or mourning or pain or rejection or condemnation only peace, love and joy.  I feel blessed and so  happy about the fact that I will be able to hear about your experience face-to-face.

The cousins.  As Ashley posted earlier, we had so many good times together with the cousins!

James with Grandpa John and the boys.  Here we have Grandpa, Jim with his sons John and James and Kevin with his son Brian.  Good looking group of guys!

James at the cabin with a squirt gun.  The cousins had so much fun playing together at the cabin.  He was right in the thick of things with the other cousins.  Lots of good memories up at the cabin.

James with Misty -- his love affair with dogs started early!

I located some pictures of James that I want to share with this community of family and friends.  This first one is the one I referenced in my earlier post.  James with his Uncle Kevin.  He was often found with Uncle Kevin and the two clearly shared a bond full of tickles and laughter

Jim & Family,
I was so sad to hear your tragic news yesterday. I will be keeping your family in my prayers and my thoughts. Please know that you have family out here who loves you and is thinking about you. Please let us know if there’s anything at all that we can do for you during this tragic time. Love you cousin Karen tragic

Mark and I are sad. We are sorry we did not know James. We liked learning a little bit about him from the people who did  know him. We are glad James is with so many others in our family now, and feeling joy. Our hearts go out to you. 
Prayers and love, 
Your cousin Susie (and Mark) xo

Hi Jim and Carolyn,
I am SO sorry for your loss! This is such a difficult time and I wanted you to know that I’m praying for you and your family!! God’s Grace is sufficient. Love you.
Lynn (Berry) Gebhart 

Jim and Carolyn,  I am heartbroken that you have lost your sweet James.  I have only met him a few times.  First when he was about 2 years old and very shy.  He was a little mini Jim!  I wanted very badly to hold him but he wouldn't have any of that!  My last memory of him was at the Hervert Family reunion.  He must have been about 14 years old.  He looked a little bored so I gave him my camera and said "Go take a lot of pictures for me".   He did the job well!  I had a camera full of pictures of pretty young girls.  What else would I expect from a 14 year old boy!  I am praying that God will comfort your family and give you the peace that passes understanding so that you can continue running your race until you can meet up with him again.  In the meantime he's happy, carefree and playing Chinese checkers with Melbs.    Much love from your cousin Janet .

Uncle Jim, Aunt Carolyn James knew he put you guys through a lot, and he took accountability when talking with me. He did cherish the times spent together. He enjoyed playing video games and eating junk food with uncle Jim. James was thankful you never gave up on him, and took him to mass. He said he found peace and a new way of looking at life. He also loved that you always made sure he had a dog, since animals were such a great comfort to him. 

John 
James loved when you guys lived down the street. He loved making root beer floats and ice cream sundaes. He said it was like you guys were college roommates. We talked quite a bit about Norma's pregnancy. James told me how lucky your baby will be for having you as a dad, because of how cool you are. He loved having a coke and talking with you. James loved having you as a brother he said no matter what he got into you nothing could shake you. He said you were always calm and never judgmental. 

 Rachel
James loved playing cards and gambling with his Easter jelly beans. He loved playing because it didn't matter if he won or lost because he was the baby of the family so he got his jellybeans back. He told me, part of him believed you became an accountant because you loved counting your winning jellybeans.      

Esther
James said, even though he didn't have a lot of close friends, he still felt popular having you as a sister, because everyone loves you. He especially felt popular if you had a sleepover. You made him feel included and loved. 

James is already very missed. We would have late night conversations and laugh nonstop.I am so sorry for everyone's loss. I'm keeping you all in my prayers. If there is anything I can do for any of you, please call.  

Sweet James. You were dearly loved and you will be dearly missed. My childhood memories of James consist of him following us around always wanting to play with the big kids... while also enjoying all the attention from being the baby in the family, and a very cute one at that. As he grew he faced challenges, but one thing that never wavered was his love for his family. I particularly remember one summer more recently he was staying up here and we got to spend more time together. He was the only one willing to go watch one of the Twilight movies with me in the theater, repeatedly! I picture James in heaven now, embraced by Grandpa John and Grandma Melbs, free from the challenges he faced here on earth and surrounded by the deep love of the Lord. Jim, Carolyn, John, Rachel, and Esther we love you and we mourn with you.

I love James so very much. I remember him riding on Doug's shoulders when he was a little, little guy. And I remember him helping us move into our house on Bradburn and spending 2 days helping us dig out an ugly old forsythia bush. I remember that he always gave me a hug and that we shared the guilty pleasure of liking Stehen King novels.  The terrible sadness that I feel at his passing, the heartache for those who love him and are left behind, can only be balanced by knowing that James is safe and at peace with our Saviour. I have a deep, deep faith that James has gone to his eternal home, that he is more alive than he has ever been, and that for James to be with Jesus is to have everything he ever wanted, to see everything he ever wanted to see, and to do everything he ever dreamed of doing, James is complete and whole!!

I have very fond memories of summertime visits with our out of state family from Arizona. It was always exciting to hear when Jim, Carolyn, John, Rachel, Esther, and James would be heading up for a stay as the whole Wathen family would have many gatherings. I typically spent a few days a week throughout the summer at our Grandma Melbs’s house, and she was continually eager to prepare for their visits. There’d be grocery shopping trips for particular items of food she knew they liked; but she was always sure to comment that she wouldn’t buy too much because Carolyn was such an ingenuitive cook and would have meals of her own she would prepare! There was washing and preparing the bedrooms and bathrooms; consistently setting up fans to cool each space in the house for them was a staple each and every time!

Melbs’s house was such a comforting place filled with an abundance of warmth and love, but there was an extra special feeling when James and the family were in town. There was a liveliness to it! It was always a joy playing with everyone in her backyard on her big blue tree house, and I especially reminisce playing board games in the heat of the day on Melbs’s living room floor with my cousins.

James was typically quiet and reserved. As a child I always just attributed that to him being the youngest cousin in our pack. James and my brother Matthew had a special connection, which was surprising considering he was the oldest Wathen cousin. Matthew brought out a playful, silliness in James. I warmly remember when the cousins from all 4 Wathen children waded in the creek at Grandpa John and Grandma Marlene’s cabin in Conifer. Matthew took James under his wing as if he was the younger brother he never had. 

I will always look back with affection to my memories with James growing up, he is deeply missed!
Ashley


James was a sweet, and loving person. I met him just after he turned 13 and he LOVED that I played games like he, John, and Jim did.  Throughout the years we'd always chat about new games that came out. You could always count on him knowing about the latest tech and having a directed opinion on it - one that I often shared. 

The world has lost a sweet and loving soul.  You'd be hard-pressed to find another person that truly never judged another. He was a friend to all, and loved by so many. I wish we had more time with him, and cannot wait until we see him again. I am going to take a page out of James's book and be nicer and more empathetic to people going forward.

Love,
Drew

I have very fond memories of summertime visits with our out of state family from Arizona. It was always exciting to hear when Jim, Carolyn, John, Rachel, Esther, and James would be heading up for a stay as the whole Wathen family would have many gatherings. I typically spent a few days a week throughout the summer at our Grandma Melb’s house, and she was continually eager to prepare for their visits. There’d be grocery shopping trips for particular items of food she knew they liked; but she was always sure to comment that she wouldn’t buy too much because Carolyn was such an ingenuitive cook and would have meals of her own she would prepare! There was washing and preparing the bedrooms and bathrooms; consistently setting up fans to cool each space in the house for them was a staple each and every time!

Melbs’s house was such a comforting place filled with an abundance of warmth and love, but there was an extra special feeling when James and the family were in town. There was a liveliness to it! It was always a joy playing with everyone in her backyard on her big blue tree house, and I especially reminisce playing board games in the heat of the day on Melb’s living room floor with my cousins.

James was typically quiet and reserved. As a child I always just attributed that to him being the youngest cousin in our pack. James and my brother Matthew had a special connection, which was surprising considering he was the oldest Wathen cousin. Matthew brought out a playful, silliness in James. I warmly remember when the cousins from all 4 Wathen children waded in the creek at Grandpa John and Grandma Marlene’s cabin in Conifer. Matthew took James under his wing as if he was the younger brother he never had. 

I will always look back with affection to my memories with James growing up, he is deeply missed!
Ashley


Our hearts are so heavy for the Wathen family.  We remember a sweet and caring young boy and neighbor.  James was a special soul and God will wrap his loving arms around him now.  We pray for strength and peace for all who knew and loved him.

Much love and prayers,
The Nemecek Family

From the very outset, James was the “spittin image” of his daddy.  We would say that James resembled Jim as a child more than Jim did himself when he was young.   My favorite picture of James is of him sitting with Uncle Kevin in a hot tub in Arizona.  As I recall, they both had innocent, yet mischievous smiles that lit up the place.  I took many pictures of him during their summer visits because he was just so darn cute!  During one summer visit when James was in his teens, we got to spend some extended time with him one on one.  One of the things that I discovered during that time was just how smart James is – but in a very, understated, not in your face kind of way.  I remember him helping us with some technology issue as if it was no big deal.  

James will be dearly missed – I envision him, set free from all the cares of this world, with that unique special smile that is solely his, ready to welcome us into God’s kingdom.  Love you all!

My first impression of James was that he was a mini Jim.  It wasn’t long before you couldn’t use the word mini and James in the same sentence!  

Although James was quiet, one on one conversation showed him to be a deep thinker.

My most poignant memory of James came one evening when visiting with Jim and James when Jim was in the hospital.  We were just having a normal,  everyday kind of conversation but what I remember the most is that I couldn’t help but see the love they had for one another—they were buddies who shared a special bond. It was touching to witness and I will treasure that memory always.

Love and praying for you all,

(Aunt) Barb

 I remember James as a shy young boy who looked so remarkably like his daddy it always took my breath away.  We got a chance to visit with James quite often in recent years when visiting Jim  and Carolyn and at family gatherings.  He was very personable and always interesting to talk with. He had such a nice smile and a sweet gentle soul.  We’re heartbroken that he’s gone but I’m sure he’s catching up in heaven now with Grandma Melbs and Grandpa John right now. 

We love and miss you, sweet James. 

Love Aunt Jackie and Uncle Phil 

Dear Carolyn, Jim, John, Rachel and Esther, 
I’m at such a loss for words...they seem trite, but are all I have right now to express my deepest sadness in the loss of James. My memories span from Carolyn pushing him in a stroller as we passed each other while dropping the rest of our kids off at Orangewood, to this past January when I visited CO, and James and I tried to heave a huge log onto the ice on Standley Lake and then had a contest to see who could slide a rock the farthest on the ice. So many memories in between. Too many to count, yet all will remain steadfastly with me, until I see him again in Heaven.  He is there. He is perfect, and because if that, I rejoice. Joy will come. I love you all. 
Meta

OBITUARY

James Michael Wathen

January 11, 1994 – July 9, 2020

Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Highland

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services