This last weekend, Georgia and I traveled to Milwaukee to attend a moving memorial service for my cousin Jim Moore.
Jim was diagnosed with ALS on December 2nd, 2016. The terrible disease took him from us on November 2nd of this year. He was a loving father, devoted husband and companion, amazing teacher and loyal friend to more people than I think even he knew.
In Jim's Words
I have been dealt a hand I will deal with in my own fashion.
His family, friends and students gathered together on Saturday to say a final farewell to Jim.
As is too often the case with cousins, I knew Jim best when we were children. When we grew up, life took us our separate ways. Distance, starting our own families and careers meant we only saw each other on rare occasions. Those times to reminisce and catch up were never enough but they were all we had. Still, Jim was always not only my cousin but also my friend and I will miss him.
Jim Moore was a scientist and a science teacher. He taught Biology, Environmental Science, Intro to Physical Science and other science courses to thousands of students at Germantown High School in suburban Milwaukee for over 40 years. I know from listening to his students and colleagues that Jim was an exceptional teacher.
Like all good teachers, Jim never stopped being a student of his chosen subjects. He was an avid hiker, cyclist and skier. He loved being outdoors and observing the natural world around him. Whenever he could, he took others with him to share his knowledge and his wonder.
Jim truly loved to share his passion for science with the world and not just with his students. He maintained a blog called Science of Reality where he shared his science based world view. His blog became a vehicle to document his struggle with the terrible disease of ALS. But, beyond that, it was also a way to continue to teach all of us about how we can co-exist with the natural world that we are a part of.
In Jim's Words
I AM NOT DONE TEACHING! I need to know that I did everything I was capable of to help insure my children, my students and the people I love have a planet and a civilization available to them to continue our existence on this, the most beautiful (and only) “Garden of Eden” that we know of in this Universe.
I invite you to click the button below to learn more about Jim's world view and his final battle by reading his own words as he wrote them in his blog.
Spend time with your family now - for too soon they are gone.