In Honor of Jim
Jim passed away on August 31, 2023 at the age of 71 after a courageous 3-year battle with lymphoma. Many of his friends and family were unaware of his illness since he did not want others to be concerned about his health and did not want that to be the focal point of his life in their interactions. Jim tried to focus on staying positive and enjoying life. He had a wonderful sense of humor and wit, and is always remembered for his infectious laugh.
I was going to talk about his life in Iowa and his job at the US Geological Survey (USGS), which made up so much of his life. But I covered that in his obituary that I will be posting at various sites.
What was important to Jim the most in his life was his wonderful, loving friends and family. That included life-long friends that he made in high school and college, as well as in his work life, especially the USGS.
Jim loved to travel, so he looked forward to attending the high school and USGS Retirees reunions, where he could rekindle those relationships. All of you were loved by Jim, even if he did not tell you.
I do want to thank all those at Swedish Hospital who helped keep Jim alive these last three years, especially the nurses and Dr. Swathi Namburi. Jim and I recognized that Dr. Namburi gave us three extra years together that probably would not have happened had this illness occurred 5 years ago. In addition, we could tell that Dr. Namburi really cared about her patients and would do all she could to help. The nurses were amazing, monitoring Jim’s comfort levels and attending to his needs, although he could be a difficult and demanding patient at times. Thank you for your patience as well as your attention to Jim’s needs.
We are all going to miss Jim, I think because of his wonderful attributes that include his great sense of humor, his insight and intelligence. As one friend said, “I cannot imagine a world without Jim Kratz.” For me, what is comforting is knowing that Jim is now in heaven telling stories and making angels laugh.