A Dear Friend

Recently a number of my blogs have been tributes to folks who have been instrumental in my life. In a sense they have all been about celebrations - some for things like anniversaries and others for things like graduating to their eternal home. Today's blog is another one of those for on Sunday night a dear friend, Jim Herrold, was suddently ushered into the presence of the Lord. Besides my wife, Jim has been my closest friend for many years and while we haven't spent much time together lately, I will miss him greatly. We have always been there for each other. He was an only child and always called me his brother and, while I did have an earthly brother who is also with the Lord, Jim was also like a brother to me. In fact my mother's mother was a Herrold and we often thought that somehow Jim and I must be related. But Jim knew little about his ancestors so we were never able to find a link. Jim came to know the Lord as a teenager and he dated an acquaintance of mine, Violet Johnson. Both lived in Shamokin. When he decided to attend Susquehanna University, Violet encouraged him to find me. It turns out that as freshmen we ended up in rooms right next to each other. And, we had much in common. We were both freshmen math majors. We both attended Bible Fellowship Churches. We had some friends in common. But most importantly, we both loved the Lord. We quickly became friends and for two years we roomed together. Then Jim married Violet. I was his best man. About seven months later I got married and he was in my wedding party. Incidentally, with his passing, now all three men in our wedding party are with the Lord. That fact is making me feel much older. We both graduated as math majors and we began to look for jobs teaching math. I took a position at Penn Manor High School. Late in August I was excited to hear that Jim also took a teaching position there and for three years we taught in rooms next to each other. During that time we lived about three blocks from each other and our families spent many happy times together. Violet and Dianne became close friends. We have special memories of taking the kids by sled to eachother's homes when it snowed. Then Jim took a job at Spring Ford High School, but we still spent times together and we always kept in touch. Later the Herrolds joined the summer staff at Pinebrook and we spent weeks together working there during the summers. And then Jim left teaching and went to Pinebrook full time. When he later took a job at Hatfield they moved to Gilbertsville and later to Boyertown. Through all these moves our friendship continued. We often joked about the fact that they had three daughters and we had three sons and that we had taken turns in having them. When Violet called to tell Dianne that they were expecting their fourth daughter, Dianne was happy to be able to tell them that we had gotten a dog instead. Then came the word that Violet had cancer. I remember making a special trip to be with them and crying together. It was hard to see her health decline, but together they displayed their strong faith and hope. About a year after her death the Lord brought a widow, Doris, into Jim's life and soon they were engaged and married. I had the special joy of again being Jim's best man in their wedding. We quickly learned to love Doris and it was obvious that the Lord had given both a special relationship after the sad deaths of their longtime spouses, both with cancer. And for about six years we have enjoyed seeing them together, once again enjoying life. Many second marriages have their problems - this one didn't - it had God's blessing. We have special memories of the weeks we had together at the Pinebrook Sr. Saints Retreats. I guess this retreat will never be quite the same for us anymore. Jim was a special friend who was always concerned about me and our family. So often when we discussed confidential problems, he would stop and pray for me. I will miss that. He loved the Lord with all of his heart and served him, even on the day that the Lord called him home. I was thrilled to watch his spiritual growth and maturity over the years and if often put mine to shame. His four daughters seem almost like our own and we have really learned to love Doris. She has become a dear friend. And for me, I am left with another hole in my life. One by one my close friends have moved to heaven ... Norm, Gary, Ralph, Terry, and now Jim. They have all been an important part of my life and I am thrilled that they are now celebrating in heaven ... but I miss them ... and I will really miss my dear friend Jim. Thank you Jim for your profound impact on my life.