Jim Bleckel, January 17, 1954 to July 17, 2022

     Jim Bleckel was well known and beloved by Windsor residents for his endearing humor and quick wit in the bleakest of circumstances. Despite his gruff motorcycle bad boy look, he explained that it was fun to look tough. Phoniness and pretension would infuriate him, and he would not disguise his distain. Fair play was his nature, and those who did not practice were quickly dismissed.

     His talents were literary, political and athletic, with a big heart for the underdog. He grew up on Clover Street, across from our elementary school. He was pre-deceased by his older brother Joey, a gifted actor who suffered from a rare disease that arrested his growth. Joey made a name for himself with the high school drama dept for his many character roles and was awarded Windsor High Drama Club unique trophy for his outstanding performances. I have that trophy today, which Jim gave me to honor his brother. Joey was a lifelong influence on Jim and their younger brother Jerry of Kamuela, Hawaii.

     During high school, Jim was a gifted athelete as well as a member of the accelerated academic track. He entered UConn Hartford while working locally in retail.I was in his high school classes, we worked for the same drugstore chain, and went to college together. I was the editor of the student newspaper, fondly called "Intercourse: a free exchange of ideas" at the suggestion of our philosophy professor. Jim was on the back page of every issue, which featured athletic achievements in sports at our college.

     However, injuries sustained athletics caused severe pain and multiple opererations his later years. The disability was made worse by diabetes, which required constant monitoring to remain stable. His leg and foot remained twisted throughout his later life.

     Jim's mother died when he was relatively young. His father, a War World 11 veteran, lived until his 90s. Jim's brother Jerry took care of their father in his final years. Although Jim had many friends throughout his life he never found that special someone to share until 2012, when Lori Chimielewski entered his life. Their immediate and sustaining partnership became the cornerstone of his remaining ten years and brought him domestic happiness he had not known. Their move to Grand Island, Florida allowed them to enjoy sun, daily swims, biking and golf and a bright retirement from the wintery gloom of Conneticut.

    Jim contributed his writing to the Growing Up in Windsor books and what I believe were the best articles of the collection. He was a good writer, and always want to write a travel book. As the years passed and Lori's parents needed more attention, Lori and Jim had begun to look for places in Windsor to settle. They were planning a new life when Jim was untimely and immediately struck by a heart attack that took his life.

     There was never a day that Jim was not in pain and never a day he complained about it. Life was difficult for him, yet he rolled with it and kept his compassion for others foremost. He was a gentle soul. He was loved by many more than he knew. I miss him every day.