Jim attended Blessed Sacramant grade school for all eight years. He was the youngest of three boys and, in first grade, he and his oldest brother, John, got held back because the middle brother, Joe, came down with polio and they all had to be quaranteened. He attended Macomber High School and The University of Toledo, where he majored in Respiratory Therapy. He was in The Marine Reserves and would often times tell me how hot it was under those uniforms at Camp LeJuene. He designed the original "Cleland's Outdoor World" sign. He was a member of The TCCY and The Jerry Francis Singers, who recorded an album. He worked at various places, including The Care and Share Shop, The Chevrolet Plant, and St. Charles Hospital where he was a Respiratory Therapist and saved many lives -- both physically and spiritually. He'd often times pray The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy over the patients who were dying. Around the end of 1996, he met me!! We met in the vestibule of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. He asked me about the blue beret that I was wearing and I told him that it means that I believe in The Apparitions of Our Lady of The Roses, Mary Help of Mothers in Bayside, NY. It was through Our Lady of The Roses, Mary Help of Mothers, that our friendship began at that very moment!! Sometime during the first part of 1997, he joined the few of us on a trip to a Rosary Vigil at The Apparition Site. It's a 600 mile drive, one way, from Toledo to NY. It was a beautiful weekend and he enjoyed the only Rosary Vigil that he attended!! In 2003, shortly before his scheduled quadruple bypass, we sought and obtained permission from our-then Pastor, Father Majoros, that he would become my roommate and I his caregiver only for the duration of his recuperation process -- that was our original intent; but God had other Plans. We sought permission from Father Majoros beforehand because we wanted to do what was morally right and Pleasing to God in this situation and we didn't want to cause scandal. From then on, we were roommates and I his (unpaid) caregiver -- which evolved into full-time. We had complete respect for each other and lived as brother and sister the entire time!! We never married; we never talked about marriage. He was never married and never had children. We practiced chastity to the fullest. The intimate actions that are reserved for a husband and wife in Holy Matrimony -- said actions never came close to being under the radar!! We were best friends!! He was truly a pro-life warrior and a very devout Catholic!! He told me that when the pro-life group "Lambs of Christ" came to Toledo (early 1990's), he was one of the pro-life activists who got arrested for blocking The Center For Choice abortion mill -- when it was located in downtown Toledo. The pro-life activists were released a short time later. For the next several years after I began caring for him and even when various health conditions arose, he and I prayed countless Rosaries together in front of The Center For Choice abortion mill (the final location) -- at least every Thursday evening, week after week, month after month, year after year, and in all different kinds of weather conditions. It was his Rosaries, prayers, and sacrifices that helped shut the place down permanently, PRAISE GOD AND BLESSED BE GOD FOREVER!!! Over the years, he'd come with me to Sunday Masses and weekday Masses and he was a regular Adorer at Blessed Sacrament's Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. He had such true love for Jesus and Our Lady!! He enjoyed attending Toledo Tea Party meetings over the past nearly three years. He really enjoyed joking around with Bill Delaney!! Even though his Alzheimer's and dementia worsened over the years, the diseases never defined him. He was a sweet soul who was trapped with them. When he was diagnosed with them many years ago, I knew that I was going to be in the long haul with him and I was more than willing to do so. As the years passed, I wanted to be with him till the very end . . . and I was!! When he got sick with aspiration pneumonia at the end of May, although he recovered from it, that was the turning point that God Used for his preparation to be Called Home. He was brave -- heroic -- through the entire situation!! For the last four days of his life, at St. Clare Commons, basically I was by his bedside 24/7!! He was on oxygen, could no longer talk, and could no longer move except he'd raise his eyebrows occassionally when I said The Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. His body was shutting down. In honor of the day and The Reason we met back in 1996, I wore my blue beret when he took his dying breath. How BEATUIFUL it must have been for him to hear my voice pray The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy, escorting him, along with Heavenly Personages, to The Throne of Christ The King!! He was so devoted to The Divine Mercy and prayed that Chaplet near the deathbed of some of his dying patients when he was a Respiratory Therapist. He, in turn, was so blessed to have it often prayed by his deathbed side and as his heart stopped beating. Not only that, he was Called Home on his own Patron Saint's Feast Day -- Saint James the Greater!! The next day was the first day, in 16 years, that I did not physically take care of him. But, even death cannot destroy our friendship. Our friendship exceeds time and space. We are best friends Forever!! Often times, during the cold months, when he and I would be outside, he'd say: "It's colder than HELL out!!" My response would always be: "I hope so!!" We'd both slightly laugh then. Often times, too, I'd tell him that he's my best friend and that I'm so blessed to have him for my best friend!! His response always was: "Oh you poor thing." And, then he'd chuckle. Sometimes he'd add: "Can't ya find somebody richer?" And then he'd chuckle again. Many times, he'd say: "Well, nobody's perfect. I'm not even perfect. (Can you) imagine that!!" And, then he'd chuckle. Using the words, from the following verse (replace "are" with "were") from the song "The Lucky Ones" written and sung by Jack and Tim (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEfKHIqwQmY&list=RDnEfKHIqwQmY&start_radio=1), I now say to Jim: "You are (were) perfectly imperfect Just like you were meant to be." Father David Kidd, THANK YOU SO MUCH for giving him Extreme Unction!! He is shining Brightly because of that!! He won't forget meeting you at that beautiful moment!!! Father Jacob Gordon, your "King James" is praying for you. Father Matt Rader and Father Mike Geiger, he's praying for both of you, too!! Carmen, thank YOU so much for everything you've done for Jim over the past many, many years!! God bless you for that!!! Gary, you've been a super friend to Jim since The Blizzard of '78!! Brent, at West Toledo Urgent Care, thank you for all of the times you've helped Jim out!! He thought you were cool!! The ladies at St. Anne's Coumadin Clinic --- Heather, Angeline, and Jessica -- thank you all so much for helping Jim all of these years!! He enjoyed joking around with you ladies!! You ladies at Speedway -- Nichole, Amanda, and especially you, Diane -- Jim certainly enjoyed joking around with you all and he enjoyed his cappucinos, too!! ~~ Kristi Kille ~~ Eternal rest grant unto James Arthur, O Lord, and let Perpetual Light Shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through The Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. FUNERAL/MEMORIAL DETAILS: Date: Saturday, September 28, 2019 Time: 9:30 a.m. Rosary for the repose of Jim's soul 10 a.m. REQUIEM MASS Place: St. Joseph Catholic Church 628 Locust Street (corner of Locust and Erie Street) Toledo, Ohio 43604 Potluck will follow in The Sacred Heart Room (located behind the church). Donations, in Jim's honor, can be made to: St. Joseph Church Office 3233 Lagrange St. Toledo, OH 43608 (419) 261-3928 http://www.stjosephstoledo.com/ and/or St. Michael's World Apostolate P.O. Box 514 Bayside, New York 11361 (718) 359-3908 www.smwa.org/donate