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James Spencer
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Seeing Jim’s birthday yesterday (August 1st) on the Class of 1969 site was a sad and happy moment. It reminded many of us of his friendship and the terrific person he was. As his good friend Will Swift said, “It was noble of him to come say goodbye to us all at our 50th Reunion, given that he was in the advanced stages of ALS.” He passed away shortly after, on October 13, 2019.
He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife, Nadia. As she says, Jim wants us to remember him by his intelligence, courage, talents, kindness, and importantly for his love of the ocean, his passion for so many years as an acclaimed photographer at the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary in Florida. His contributions to the world around him were many
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Gregory Lewis
I pause at this reminder of Jim's passing. Sorrow pushes through my veins, and I ache in my neck and in the muscles behind my eyes. Why, I wonder. I did not really know Jim, but I feel close to him through the connection of shared years and events, and I feel a deep sense of loss.
The Class of '69 is narrowing, of course, as it passes through these post-50th years. Whether strangers or best friends, we are members of a family, even if scattered now by time and place and interests and incidents. No matter where we are today, we are teathered to each other by our communal time at Middlebury, our youthful joy, our delight at discovery, our Middlebury pride.
Every loss is our shared loss, I believe. I wish I had known you better, Jim. I'll hope to change that, on the other side.
William Morton
While I did not know Jim well, I share in the thoughtful and meaningful words expressed by Greg Lewis. I am not sure how to express thoughts better than Greg has, as he clearly "speaks" for so many. May Jim's entire family take comfort in knowing our prayers are with them, always.
Thank you Greg, for expressing so eloquently how many fellow classmates feel, myself included.
John Mertz
Thanks, all, for these notes and for Gerard's kind e-mail. I know Jim's wife, Nadia, really appreciated them. She is back in France now, but still using their old e-mail address (seanotes@me.com).
Samuel Eaton
Thank you, Greg, for your words. Even those of us who didn't know him well, feel the loss of a family member, as have Merilee and I. We find a place to hold them so we can visit them, knowing they will always be there for us.
John McConnell
I didn't know Jim well when we were at Midd but I got to know him better at the reunion. We both had been diagnosed with ALS so we had much to discuss. Still I was shocked by how quickly he passed. Since then my diagnosis has been changed to primary lateral sclerosis which is slower progressing.