[AGL]Legacy of Jim Strong

[Gerry]

Jon,
I agree with your assessment of Jim Strong. He was a very sharp and generous
fellow. Like most of us he had an occasional lapse and fired a shot or two
in anger. With the bunch of nuts who comprise our lists it is all but
impossible to keep one's temper in check at all times. He confided to me
that he hoped to change some dangerous personal habits after retirement. I
don't know if he followed through with it or not but he was about to buy
some appliances necessary for participation in the raw foods diet. He would
have retired next month...

In short, he ate and drank too much and unwisely and it caught up with him,
liver. Not the first friend I have seen with this dilemma.

I guess there is a lesson there for all of us, especially those who are
grubbing for the retirement check. When the body says, "No mas", you have to
pay attention. More important than the promise of "financial security".

As for your blanket apology I accept it and hope that we might communicate
on a mutually respectful level in the future.

Regards,
G





----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Ford" <jonmfordster at hotmail.com>
To: <austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 4:03 PM
Subject: RE: [AGL]Legacy of Jim Strong


>
> Mike sent out a blank email some time inviting us to post our sense of the
> "legacy" of Jim Strong. Since I was his friend in high school but not
close
> to him in college, it was a pleasure to rediscover his adult wit and
> knowledge of the world on-line on both the AGL and the Ghetto2 list. He
was
> a founder and a good mediator on the ghetto2 list, and helped that list
> survive despite numerous technological problems and  strong personality
> conflicts along the way. Following is a notice of his death that speaks to
> the  respect many people he worked with had for him:
>
> Jon Ford
>
>
> Jim Strong dies unexpectedly at 64
> By: Jamie Nash, Courier staff
> 08/17/2006
>
> By all accounts, Montgomery County lost a major asset on Monday. Jim
Strong,
> 64, died unexpectedly after a brief illness.
>
> At the time of his death, Strong was Solid Waste Coordinator for
Montgomery
> County Environmental Health Services. He took that title after resigning
as
> Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator, the position for which
> he was best known. He was also the county's Special Projects Coordinator.
> Strong served Montgomery County for over 15 years total and was scheduled
to
> retire in September.
> Pat Buzbee, Director of Montgomery County Environmental Health Services
> worked with Strong daily. "It was a shock to all of us," Buzbee said.
> Strong and Buzbee became acquainted in the 1970's when they both worked
for
> Harris County. Buzbee said Strong "knew the correct way to do everything,"
> and could always be called upon.
> He called Strong a dedicated and tireless worker who enjoyed working with
> the public. "He enjoyed the people and the work," Buzbee said, "He loved
> environmental work."
> Strong continued to work after he became ill, which Buzbee said typified
> Strong's personality. "When he got hold of something, he didn't abandon
the
> project until it was finished," he said.
> "I'm going to miss him dearly."
> County Environmental Officer Walter Jameson credited Strong with creating
> his position. "He was instrumental in getting this position started and
> getting the program funded," Jameson said. Strong, who had a background in
> journalism, wrote the application that won the grant for Jameson's
position.
> "I couldn't have planned it better myself," he said, "He did an
outstanding
> job."
> Jameson said he would most remember Strong's "quick wit and his
> personality."
> His personality was also remembered by Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace
James
> Metts, who described Strong as "always very helpful and cordial."
> "I was sorry to hear of his passing," Metts said, "Certainly his family
will
> be in my prayers."
> Sue Bosma, Director of Montgomery County Communication Information
Services
> and Rhonda Hovater, Assistant Director both knew and worked with Strong
for
> over five years. "We always take his advice," Hovater said, "He's been a
> good friend and coworker."
> Bosma said Strong was a tremendous help to MCCIS, which is one of the
> county's more recently established agencies. "He did a lot for my
department
> when I first came here," she said.
> Bosma and Strong were both in the habit of arriving at work very early and
> she was often comforted by the sight of his truck. She said it let her
know
> she was not alone in the building where they both worked.
> "He was always here when I came at 7 a.m.," Bosma said.
> On Tuesday, Bosma realized she had not seen Strong's truck for a couple of
> days. She said she went to his office to ask about him and learned he was
> gone.
> Bosma and Hovater said Strong would be missed by all who knew him.
> Conroe City Councilman Jay Ross Martin called Strong's death "a big loss
to
> the county."
> Martin said Strong was very helpful to the city in emergency situations,
> recalling in particular an ice storm several years ago. "The city had a
real
> good working relationship with him," Martin said, "Anytime we lose an
> employee like Jim it's a loss to the whole community."
> Strong left behind a wife, step-children, grandchildren and a host of
other
> family and friends.
> Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. today at Klein Funeral Home in Magnolia,
> followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m.
>
>
> Jamie Nash can be reached at jnash at hcnonline.com
>
>
>