Jim was born in 1939 somewhere between the family outhouse and mom’s bedroom, depending on who you talk to!
Growing up in the rural Big Rapids area in the 1940/50’s could be good or bad depending on how you chose to look at life.
Memories of Sunday afternoons spent @ the local lakes, our family camping in a huge old army tent at Turnboat Lake, riding to the Paris free shows in the back of the dump truck, Eagles family picnics at School Section Lake, Christmas parties and boxing matches above the old clothing store on Michigan Avenue and spending countless hours riding around Big Rapids in our dad’s garbage truck are where the Routley boys developed their character (and most of us are indeed characters)!
My brother was a rough, tough guy. He was always a fierce competitor in sports, a hard worker and a hard liver who never ran from a fight or difficult battle. (To the day he died). Be it protecting his troublesome little brother Bill from bullies, taking some underdog into his construction company and giving them a second, third or even fourth chance, or hiring nephews like Jacoby and John who needed a summer job. He wasn't afraid to tackle any job or project from building an oil field pipeline in Kansas, a major industrial park in Illionis, countless road projects (even if it meant sinking a giant doser in a wetland and getting it out before the DNR got there).
He expected to work hard, demanded too much of himself and usually those around him.
The girls said they could hardly wait for Saturday morning to find out what "fun" work projects he would plan for them to do. Cleaning garages, painting equip, hauling junk, moving huge truck tires, mowing the lawn with a mower that ran sometimes. And the dreaded order would come "run into the garage and get me this tool AND HURRY"! Who knew where that tool might be?
A good example of his compassion yet stern character in the day they were working outside and he was backing the semi truck up while watching Vonnie in the mirror. He lost track of her and felt a thump. Feeling sure he had just hit her with the truck he jumped out with tears in his eyes and a lump in his throat to find out she was nowhere around. Looking around he discovered her in the house taking a little break. Than he was mad that she was inside. You just should never be sitting around according to him.
Vonnie and the girls all agreed that the trips out west were usually a lot of fun but a few main roads would have been nice and they could have skipped some of those roadside markers. And you had better not have to go to the bathroom!!
One year that stood out in their minds was when the travel trailer somehow lost the electrical ground! You had to remember to jump in & out NOT grab the handle – "just let go Karen" he said when she forgot and stood shaking one day! When Hant walked up and grabbed the handle she wet her pants.
We had our moments as brothers and sisters do but also many good times. Jumping off the Paris bridge into the Muskegon River and swimming like mad in the strong current to shore – ice skating on ponds across the road on Fuller Avenue  – sliding down hill on the homemade toboggan in Stevens apple orchard – hauling hay for Mr. Cox and hot summer days in dad’s garbage truck outside Art’s Tavern fighting over which one of us smelled!
The girls had a good time remembering fun times and a few not so fun times.
The looked forward to the times he would come home from the Eagles and stand on his head so all the change would fall out on the floor for them to pick up.
And they would fight over the treat he always left for them in his lunch box after work.
One not so favorite was when they would be lying on the floor watching TV and he would come in and lay across all of them. We could hardly breath they said!
It did not matter that he didn’t have any boys. Saturday was work day and we did play sports and learn to ride dirt bikes and snowmobiles. Even learning to go off jumps. Just go fast he said!!
Karen says she still doesn’t have hair on her arms because of all the "snake bites" her dad gave them.
It seemed he was always either breaking something or fixing something he had broken. Driving thru McDonalds, Karol remembered the time he drove through in his work truck and smashed the drive thru window with something sticking out the back of his work truck! He didn’t seem to have a vehicle long before it had a dent or some seal coat spilled on it. 
A tender moment remembered was when Karol was 4 and in the hospital – there was a broken toy and she told the nurse "my dad can take it home and fix it", and he did.
Kelly told her dad this past Saturday that they were all better persons today because of his encouragement and belief in them. He was very proud of all their accomplishments and bragged about them to his friends.
He would take time to play with grandkids, rides in the tractor/trailer, front end loader and semi truck. Even our grandkids looked forward to rides with him.
No four letter words for the girls but "cutting the Cheese" and "pull my finger" were acceptable.
Jim and Vonnie lived in a converted school bus for several years while he built the house he lived in until last Sunday. She was not sure it was a good idea when she looked out the cracks in the wall of the outhouse he had build behind the bus. And being a true Routley he wasn’t afraid to use really big nails for everything he did.
I can still remember the stick shift mustang he bought from me for Karen’s 16 birthday. She had never driven a stick shift car... "Get in" he said "you will learn on the way home" and she did.
Kathy said he wasn’t very happy the day that Karen glued all of her "A" papers on the bedroom wall, dresser, and chairs with brown construction glue.
They decided he had gone over the edge when he allowed cats and birds into the house and than he said to the dog Allie – "say hello to your sisters"!
Jim married Jo Ellen several years after he and Vonnie separated. I have been amazed and very impressed at these two wonderful sisters – in – laws how they graciously live next door to each other and are even friends.
JD and Jo met in Rodney through mutual friends. Jim called her on the phone later and said "Hi Pam", she said "My name is Jo" "Okay, whatever, do you want to go on a delivery trip with me in the semi?" Sure she said and last summer she was still going on those trips 10 years later. On their first trip to Texas vacationing she said "Alright James enough roadside signs and climbing up to look at old Indian ruins!"
Tiff & Ray lived across the road from us when the boys were little and when Jim or Jo would drive by on the backhoe Tiff would say to her sons "There goes Uncle Jim" As they were opening Christmas presents they unwrapped a box with construction equipment in it and Logan said "Look I got a Jim"!
Well there were many more camping experiences, bad bar jokes, ball caps out of pop & beer cans, travel trailers stories like Kathy and Karen riding with Grandpa when he wrecked his trailer but they will have to share them with you.
During the past 12 years Jim and I have become good friends and I have witnessed many changes in him. He helped build our house, garage, driveway and septic. He was always doing something for someone wasn’t he? Digging hole for nephew’s swimming pool, fixing driveways for one of family, hauling a load of dirt. We complained to each other about how we do way too much for our kids, but kept on doing it anyway.
He made a special trip to Georgia to pick up the chairs you are sitting on today. He even got a ticket for driving the semi on a restricted scenic drive in Georgia. He saved us $45,000 on the septic system because he knew of a less expensive, better system for our needs. He moved many loads of dirt around for us and made countless trips up here with the front end loader to help us out. And he stood proudly on this platform for our opening dedication service.
Through the past 10 years I saw many significant changes in his life. But the most significant happened last December 8th in the hospital in Grand Rapids. We all knew for at least a year that he did not feel well. It wasn’t until December that he found out how serious it was. 
Frightened and hurting Karol and Bill called me to come down and pray with their dad. I said I would if Jim and Jo wanted me to. They said yes, so I called Gregg Shewan and sent him right down!  Actually asked him to meet me there but I was late so missed their first prayer time. The bottom line is J D prayed for forgiveness and peace in his heart. God honored that prayer.
Those of you who joined Jo Ellen and his daughters at his bedside these past several months can attest to the peace and serenity that surrounded them. That doesn’t mean he didn’t get angry about what was happening to him, but he accepted it and endured with dignity and strength. 
It actually took Karol sometime to believe her dad had really found peace with God. She sat on his bed one day and said "now dad tell me exactly what you did. Did you ask Jesus into your heart? Do you pray to him?" Yes Karol he said "I am praying and doing everything I am supposed to do! SHE KNEW and she is confident today aren’t you Karol? We had some very good prayer times together with JD, Jo and family.
Last night I asked our brother-in-law what his concept of life is. He said "a door opens and you walk thru unto a path and the door closes. You walk down the path of life and at the other end another door opens and you walk thru and it closes. Right on Ron! Jesus said "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any will open it I will come in and you shall have eternal life.
It is my prayer that God will touch the lives of ALL the Routley family members and friends as he has the lives of Sharon and I and our children. That does not mean that we are prefect just Forgiven. We love you and pray for each of you often. As you read this may your family memories be blessed.
With much love and prayers, Bill Routley