A Life Fully Lived

Jim graduated from Alexander Ramsey High School in Roseville, MN; received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; his Master's degree in Physics from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

After stints teaching and doing research at the Universities of Wyoming and North Dakota State, the majority of Jim's career was spent as a Theoretical Physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, CO, where he loved his work and was able to do groundbreaking work on a number of fronts. He was in the process of writing a book about his work.

Jim and his wife, Karen, were married in June, 1979. They were blessed with two wonderful children, a son, Duff, born in 1986, and a daughter, Aquene, born in 1991.

Besides his work and family, Jim had a lifelong love affair with the outdoors, as manifested in his activities of canoeing (including competitive whitewater canoeing), camping, fishing, biking, snowshoeing, and climbing.

Jim died in a tragic and improbable accident on December 31, 2011, when a high gust of wind blew a branch just 3-feet long and 3 inches in diameter through the windshield of his car, as he and his wife, Karen, were returning home to Longmont from Boulder. The branch slammed into his chest and he maintained consciousness long enough to steer the car to the shoulder and stop, saving his wife and other motorists from a possible collision.

To say that Jim is sorely missed by his family, colleagues, and many friends is an understatement.

In the last several years, Jim had taken to signing off his emails to his siblings with "Jimmy B." Long live the memory of Jimmy B!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Remembering Jim on His Birthday


Jim would have been 62 today. His siblings are gathering for dinner, to remember Jim and share a toast in his honor. His sister, Rose, emailed this brief memory of his 9th birthday.

Jim’s 9th Birthday (February 8, 1959)

This morning the memory of Jim's 9th birthday came to mind.  It was during the first year that we lived at 1975 Carl St., and Mom had a few boys over for a birthday party for Jim.  I remember that Mark Allard gave Jim a kite.

The weather was similar to today - kind of cold and windy, with almost no snow.  Right after the party, Jim took the kite out to fly in our yard and immediately the kite got caught in a tree by the golf course fence.  He was so eager to fly it - I can picture that happy look of anticipation in Jim's eyes, but I don't think it bothered him too much that it got caught in the tree.

We saw that kite stuck up in the tree for quite a few months afterwards. I shared that memory with Jim on his birthday last year.  Do any of you remember that?  That memory always stuck with me, as I must have been there throughout his party, observing everything, and went outside with Jim to fly the kite.

-- Rose, 2/8/2012
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