When Tomorrow Starts Without Me  / Dad,Jim,JD Routley (Self)

            When Tomorrow Starts Without Me

 

Close

I Carry Your Heart With Me  / To Jo

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) 
i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) 
i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you 

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart) 

e.e. cummings
Close

THE WATCHER  / Emily Beth Helgren (Great Niece )

For:  Grandpa and Uncle Jim,

I observe you from above
Longing to touch one more time,
The ache in my soul is unbearable,
A sword smashing into my torso.
I was taken away from you, I was taken from life.          You mourn me Everyday since my passing.
You have locked the sunlight from your eyes,
Your heart, your soul; veiled in darkness,
I observe this from above.
Why are you so sad for me?
I do not wish to be mourned.
That is not how I want to see you.
Allow the light to shine upon you and give everlasting peace.
Remember me; that is all I ask.
Grace Earth with your beauty and spirit and know that
My spirit walks with you.
Can you feel me?
I am with you always.

Close

Always in my thoughts!  / Kathy Simon (Daughter)

Do everything you can with everything you got!

JD worked hard, played hard and loved hard!

The father of four daughters, he taught us to never be idle, never be lazy and never take no for an answer. Give it all you've got!

I hope I can teach my children these same things.

He made sure all of us found a way to get through college...for that I will always be grateful.

He believed in enjoying every minute of life, and when he wasn't working 10-12 hour days, he was enjoying every free moment he had.

JD loved to travel...his favorite places were Arizona, Mexico and Lousiana.
He was able to see all the continental United States (except Maine), and he could tell you 2-3 different routes, including the backroads, to any destination in America.
He could tell you what was on the road side markers on each of those paths as well!

Jim loved his wife Jo...and their puppies (girls) Lottie and Allie! He is also missed by Penelope, Precious and Tigger!

Close

My tribute for Dad  / Karen Thompson (Daughter)

As said at his funeral, I think a real tribute to who our Dad was, was how he spent the last several months of his life.  
I always knew Dad was a very generous man, who helped many people through hard times, he really did have a big heart for people in need.  
The last several months where he felt well enough to work, were spent helping his family.  It seemed like he and Jac, always had a project or something they were going to work on, I think Jac used the back hoe to fix his septic system in Dad's final months, Jac would always help Dad keep his equipment working.  Dad really loved Jac and I know Jac will miss Dad a lot.
There was work Dad did for me at the house, he excavated and filled in the hole for the exit window in the basement and pulled a big tree root in the back yard.  My neighbors were jealous 'cause I had a Dad that had all that good equipment.
Dad's last trip in the truck was to deliver the load of furniture to Kelly in North Carolina.
Dad helped Uncle Bill with his roof shingles(I believe), he helped Karol with some work at their cabin, I think he also finished up some work for 
Habitat for Humanity.  He didn't really have any paying jobs at the end, it was all work for the people he loved.
I hope the final months of my life will display the same kind of love and leave such a lasting impression to others about what is truly important in life.

Close