James Dancoe:  

How do I hope old friends remember me? First of all, I think it would just be nice to be remembered. How someone remembers you is based strictly on opinion. Rarely is it based on fact, unless the person doing the remembering was with you 24hrs/365 days a year. I am fairly sure some will remember me as a jerk. I hope, not too many. For the most part, I tried to treat everyone as I wished them to treat me. I know I was probably offensive at times. I hope I was kind and considerate at least as often as offensive. After all is said and done, when thought of, I hope the thought will be something like, Jim was Jim, basically an "ok" kind of guy. I always wanted to be a self sufficient man when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a good idea. As it turns out, they were both wrong and right. The most relaxing thing I can think of, is floating along the bottom or edge of a reef and watching the undersea life both frolic and seek to survive. Not necessarily swimming, but just floating in what is considered a neutral buoyancy state. Another good way, is to watch the six new puppies we have play. Blowing off steam is a totally different issue. The best way for me is to get into a good political or mechanical discussion, eye to eye, over a six pack or two of Sam Adams or Wild Turkey & Mix. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough. As for the wildest thing I ever did in school, I guess play football with all my heart. If I'm going to work somewhere, I need to have lots of work, responsibility, and the right tools to be able to deal with the day-to-day. A super crew that is not afraid to give good input also helps. A hero? More like heroes. My Grandfather, on my father's side. As I never knew either of my grandmothers or my mom's father. After him, my parents & my brother. All of them, in my eyes were ten times the person I will ever be. After them, George Washington, Abe Lincoln, George Patton and John Wayne. I think that says it well enough. Where have I lived? When I lived in Romeo, Mi., I used to vacation in Pennsylvania. When I left Romeo (July-62) I moved to Phoenix, Az., for my dad's health and graduated from Phoenix South Mountain High School. Back then, it was a very nice school. Nowadays, not so much. Then, in June of 63 I came back to Michigan. Primarily so my mom & dad could sell our home at the Lake. I lived at Cranberry Lake and Oxford. Then in Flint where I worked at Buick Motors and shared a trailer house with Claude Dies. From there, back to Phoenix in 1965, to get my parents settled out there and because I fell in love with the southwest. Went in the army in 1971 and served in Korea, Fort Hood Texas and Berlin Germany. Then moved to Lafayette, La., to go to work for my wife's (formally Kathy Bliss) brother. From there, back to Phoenix for the better climate. Moved to Globe, Az., for my first trucking job as an owner/ operator. I had driven for other companies prior to that. Moved back to Glendale, Az. (Phoenix area) due to oldest step-son's medical problems. Within a three year period he had three tumors. Two were the size of my fist, in his head. The third was golf ball sized in his cheek. I was based out of Glendale, Az., while trucking all of the southwest, until our youngest daughter (Jennifer - the one I now live with) moved out and got married. Then Kathy and I went Over The Road in a sleeper truck for several different companies until she became sick in 2002 and had to get off the truck. She lived here, at the house we had helped our daughter & son-in-law buy until she passed away in 2005. I started basing out of my brother's home in Glendale, AZ., until my trucking company went under and then I moved here to live with Jennifer & the gang. Here is, Amory, Ms.. The one person from my past who I'd most like to see again is the one I got to see this past summer, Claude Dies, because he and I did so much together in school and just after. I will think about who is next in line, as so many of the kids I grew up with in Romeo were special to me.. I sincerely believe that "Reality TV" is the farthest thing from reality you can get and the biggest farce to come to TV since it began! Pets: at this moment we have a Chocolate Lab, a black Lab, a pointer-mix, 3 Jack Russells, a Bassett and six new puppies. That's the dogs. We also have 3 indoor female cats, 3 outdoor male cats and a goose. needless to say, it is a zoo around here. My only true obsession at this time in my life, is to have some peace and quiet. I achieve this by going out to Colorado to visit my brother each summer. !!!!THANKS FOR BIG BROTHERS!!! Everyone owes themselves a Colorado experience. Southwest Colorado especially. My biggest surprise in life, "so far", is that I am still alive and have, for the most part, retained a sense of humor. If I could improve my home, I would add at least two bedrooms and an activity room (the activity room is in the plans for this next year). My dream home is twofold. If I could have anything wanted, it would be a spanish stucco & tile roofed ranch style 6-bedroom on an ocean beach. The climate would resemble Arizona's and my neighbors would be Cajuns. Reality check would be a comfortable travel trailer or a motor home. I still want to see more of this country. What have I learned from my kids: their chameleon-like way of changing from those "loving / trusting / loyal" babies to the "me...Expand for more