Remembering Jim Major: Excellent Adventures

Today would have been my brother’s 75th birthday, so to remember him on this day I solicited excellent stories from his immediate and extended family members.

Ruth Major:
Dedicated to my husband Jim
on his 75th birthday
as he rests in peace.
I believe he would have enjoyed the thoughts.


Su Major:
A Horse called . . .
Once upon a time (as all good stories began) and ever so long ago I was a tiny little girl. From what I’ve been told my stubbornness, mischievousness, and love for words has only become stronger over the years. As all tiny little girls should, I had a rocking horse. I loved riding back and forth and back and forth. My horse and I traveled over the rainbow to cloudland, through a deep and scary forest – making friends with an ogre or two along the way, and across the burning Sahara – assisting Aladin and his many, many friends. We were best buds – my horse and I! Quite often my horse found his way across my room during the dark hours of the night and Daddy would find me asleep in the morning – exhausted from the excursions through dreamland – with my hand resting upon the mane of my trusty stead. Our adventures were many and I knew my friend well.

“Your horse might sleep better in his stall rather than leaning against your bedrails,” Daddy reported to the tiny little girl.

“Cow,” she returned mischievously.

“Horse.” Daddy played the game well.

“Cow.”

“Horse.”

“Cow.” Horse snickered at my silliness. We had just returned from a thunderous night capturing a band of cattle rustlers. Singlehandedly, we had saved the herd!

“Pig.” Daddy grinned.

“Pig . . .” the tiny little girl agreed, wondering where Daddy’s new story was going to lead.

“Horse,” Daddy grinned. The tiny little girl had agreed!

I heard the beautiful pink curtain rustle in the breeze.

I rolled out from underneath my rose-covered comforter, climbed onto Daddy’s pajamaed lap, wrapped my tiny little arms around his neck, cuddled into his chin stubble, and whispered into his ear . . .

“Cow.”

And they lived happily ever after.


Happy Birthday Daddy! I love you!

Shirley Marks:

I think that we all heard the story of our Dad lecturing him on the way to the
Girl Scout camp to pick me up. It seems that Dad thought that he would try to
convince him that he should try to not fight with me--that it would be an
honorable thing to do. They picked me up and were on their back home and after
only a few minutes we were fighting again. When he realized that he had not
kept his part of the bargain he had a huge guilt attack.

When he was about 2 years old I saw him drinking from a container of nail
polish remover. I told on him and he ended up going to the hospital to have
his stomach pumped. I may have saved his life.

We were so very competitive, and it seemed to lead to arguments and even
physical fighting. If I had it to do over I would try to have a better
relationship with him as a child. He was a fun brother. We did grow to
appreciate each other after we had become adults...I truly miss him!

Myself:

Those early years together were marked by annoying little brother driving big brother to distraction. Then one day he asked for my help in removing the summer screens from the porch of our home so as to replace them with the winter storm windows. I relished the task because now I could help instead of hinder. I did help with the lighter screens, the much heavier storm windows I had to leave to big brother to handle.

We had fun too. My mother gave a small party for my birthday and one of the presents was a small horseshoe shaped magnet. My brother grabbed it up and began demonstrating to all gathered there some of the remarkable properties of magnetism. My mother became agitated at my brother’s antics and scolded him by saying, “Jim, You are going to use up all the magnet if you keep up what you are doing.” Already demonstrating his electrical prowess he gleefully replied, “ Mom, the more you use a magnet the stronger it becomes.” Crestfallen, my mother beat a hasty retreat.

Time, events and distance later eroded our connection. Then one day he called to wish me a happy birthday. I happened to be looking at a calendar when he called and noted that day was also Rosh Hasanah. I said to him, “Are you sure you are not calling me to wish me a happy Rosh Hasanah.” We had a good laugh over that and it was like the connection was made again, brother to brother.

The intervening years were good. We visited often and Ruth and my brother even visited with Patty and me here in Florida. It seems the most memorable time for me was the climb up Longs Peak with my brother and Aaron (Jim's grandson.) The going was slow for this flatlander, but we were doing okay until about 11,000 feet and them Aaron’s breathing became labored, but we rested and noted that Aaron was still breathing. Then we arrived at 12,000 and now Aaron is gaping for a breath. Then the discussion centered around the fact that since he may stop breathing altogether we should go back. The next day my the calves in my legs hurt so bad I was unable to walk up the stairs in Ruth and Jim’s home. I had to crawl up the stairs on my hands and knees. Aaron, you may have saved my legs.

Thanks to all that contributed. If anyone else has a Jim Major excellent adventure I would be happy to post that on my blog

Scott Major

Lorraine Estelle Bridges


I noticed in a birthday reminder book I have that it was Uncle Jim's birthday today...I paused and reflected on Jim for a moment. What do I remember most about him...his laugh. That laugh was so infectious and full of joy. That laugh was scheming with my brothers Ron & Ken to tease me somehow with ice, cold water or watermelon seeds. That laugh was produced when I said something funny. That laugh reminded me of how he interacted with my mom his older sister and how he would lovingly "kid" her about things. That laugh was produced with his love for his wife Ruth and 2 children Bob & Su. I'm sure we'd find plenty to laugh & tease our family about today! Yep, I miss your laugh Uncle Jim but we'll have plenty of time in eternity for laughing later.