Final Jim Norman Update

[Telescopist]

In the middle of the night on New Years Day, Jim passed away. He died peacefully with his dogs near his bed and Noelia dozing in a chair by his side. He was a great pal to me and mentor when it came to all things Escape.

Noelia wrote: He dreamt about going to Osoyoos with his daughter and I, next spring, but we both knew it was something for his mind to occupy his time with and a good way to help sooth his soul.

[WillyB]

May God rest his soul in peace.

[emers382]

Noelia added in the email she sent the following...

"PS our neighbor said, “leave it to a tax man to die after the first of the year for the tax benefit.”

We shall miss Jim having met up with him in Osoyoos (twice), Illinois, and Niagara Falls and each time he had a different trailer. The only one we never saw was his first 19.

[HarleyD]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

In the middle of the night on New Years Day, Jim passed away. He died peacefully with his dogs near his bed and Noelia dozing in a chair by his side. He was a great pal to me and mentor when it came to all things Escape.

Noelia wrote: He dreamt about going to Osoyoos with his daughter and I, next spring, but we both knew it was something for his mind to occupy his time with and a good way to help sooth his soul.

RIP Jim!

[rubicon327]

Rest in peace Jim. Like my coworker said right before he passed from cancer in 2018 - "treat each day like a precious gift". Hoping that everyone can raise a glass to Jim around the campfire in 2024.

[Donna D.]

While we knew this was coming, it seemed to happen far too soon. RIP Jim and thanks for everything.

[Ron in BC]

Yes, we knew it was coming but it seems even sadder when it does.

He was a mainstay of the forum, not to mention boosting ETI sales.

Maybe those at the Escape Rally will raise a glass to him around a campfire.

Ron

[camp4528]

I’m surprisingly sad. I never met Mr Norman and only exchanged a couple of PM’s with him since joining, but he was a good guy on this forum and full of humour and good advice.

[nepaweb]

I never had the pleasure of meeting Jim but he always comes to mind when I am changing out a propane tank on my trailer.

I wonder if Escape will notice a drop in sales after the loss of their best customer and #1 salesman? Jim's enthusiasm for Escape trailers will surely be missed on this forum.

Suddenly I have the urge to get some scrapple... RIP Jim.

[Vermilye]

My condolences to Noelia, family & friends.

[Steven M]

Jim Norman became your friend the minute you met him and I had that privilege. There is a Jewish saying, May his memory be a blessing. May the memory of him be a blessing to all his friends and his family.

[Jwinfrey]

Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

And that is dying...

Henry van Dike

[Bill and Earline]

Originally Posted by emers382

Noelia added in the email she sent the following...

"PS our neighbor said, “leave it to a tax man to die after the first of the year for the tax benefit.”

We shall miss Jim having met up with him in Osoyoos (twice), Illinois, and Niagara Falls and each time he had a different trailer. The only one we never saw was his first 19.

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both held on so that their last day was July 4, 1826, 50 years exactly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. How do poeple do that?

I secretly hoped Jim could match the effort in order to get the tax benefit under the rules of his old employer, the IRS. Well done, Jim. Glad I knew ya

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

I never met Jim, but sure appreciated his many contribution to this forum. The Escape family will be a poorer place without him.

[Dave&Kathie]

So sorry to hear. We enjoyed meeting him in Osoyoos. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. RIP Jim


Dave & Kathie

[Iowa Dave]

One time on the way to Niagara Jim stopped for gasoline. As he walked around the trailer he heard a hissing tire. He’d picked up a sheet rock screw. So after gassing, he found a good place on the concrete and changed the Escape tire. This made him late getting to the campground. Office closed, one by six gate arm down, no code. Jim takes matters into his own hands literally and snaps the board off. Then comes into camp. It’s pretty dark for backing in so Alf and I convince him to just park in the roadway towards the “Harry Potter tree” till morning. First thing Jim gets up and parks the trailer. Then heads over to see Cecelia the owner. Laughingly tells her he snapped her gate off. She didn’t see the humor and took him up on his offer to pay for a new board. She let him stay but it was marginal there for a while. He always laughed telling that story. “Boy she was hot” Jim reminisced. I spent time with Jim every time we showed up at the same rally. Good friends leave you with good memories. RIP
JIM NORMAN.
Iowa Dave

[Rockhead]

Met him once at the escape rally I’ll will miss him greatly and the wisdom he passed on freely.

[DanandDaphne]

Thanks for sharing Telescopist, glade he wasn't in pain and he died peacefully with his loved ones near by.

[MyronL]

RIP Jim, good friend.

[oldwave]

It’s remarkable that he touched so many in the Escape and fiberglass community. Our sympathies to his family and I’m sorry i never met them in person.