Celebrant Pam Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Jimmy Messersmith was born to his parents, Lois and Benjamin, in Dunlap, Illinois on June 1st, 1930. His sister, Norma Jean, passed away when she was only one day old. And he was raised with his four other siblings: Phyllis, Shirley, Marilyn and Larry.

His father was a farmer; while his mother was a homemaker. Jim had early responsibilities and chores on the farm. He was a hard worker from a young age.

In high school, he played basketball, football and track. He also performed in the high school band, playing the Alto Saxophone. He loved music.

Jim showed his true character when he was injured and lost his eye in a shop accident in high school. He got a glass eye replacement. Even though he knew it was there and he had it replaced every few years, no one else could tell. But it didn't stop him from accomplishing anything. In fact, he was an expert marksman, and in the years to come, he would add to his gun collection.

It was in high school, where his future was built with the love of his life. Her name was Betty and they knew each other since the age of 12. They started dating as teenagers. On the back of his high school graduation picture, Jim wrote, "To my future wife." He knew their relationship was magic. As high school sweethearts, Betty was the Class President, while Jim was the Class Vice President. It was a fact that made them laugh for many years.

After the couple graduated from high school in Princeville, Illinois in 1948, the couple married in 1949.

The couple had two wonderful daughters two years apart: Janice and Vicki. As a father, Jim worked very hard for his family. Although he worked long hours, his family always came first and he had dinner with his family in the evenings. He always made the kids laugh. And he made Betty laugh, too. She even called him "The Laughing Boy." He'd laugh on the phone to his friends and she said he was full of hot air.

In 1953, the family first moved to Southern California on a trial run. They didn't have extended family here and it was not easy. So, they moved back to Illinois. But Jim suffered double pneumonia, and the doctors advised him to move to a warm, dry climate for his health. So, in 1956, the family moved to Southern California permanently. It was easier the second time because Betty's brother, Don, had moved here first. One by one, many extended family members moved to Southern California over the years. But it was also important for the family to make the trek back to Illinois every summer to visit everyone else.

Jim embraced hard word his entire life. In Illinois, he went to work as a salesman for Stridex. In California, he went to work as a carpenter as he learned the trade. He branched out with a partner, Milt Johnson, and started MJM Construction. When his partner retired, he resumed his own company with Jim Messersmith Construction. He worked in construction from 1956 until he retired at the age of 76 in 2006. He was savvy and smart in his work all those years and he was always creating, designing, planning and building the next project.

Jim's work was featured in many magazines. He worked on an eight-week job restoring Louis L'Amour's ranch in Durango, Colorado. His work on that ranch was featured in Architectural Digest and the article remains online. He had some out-of-state jobs as he worked building log cabins for a summer in Montana with his brother. But he was never gone for long. He even saw the future and planned to build an Arizona community on 200 acres called the Rio Hila Estates. He had the blueprints for the homes, apartments, a strip mall, gas station and other amenities. He was a planner his entire life and he was an excellent businessman.

When the girls were young, he'd take Jan and Vicki on some of the jobs. Jan loved horses and when he was working for a woman who owned horses, Jan put a rope around a new wild stallion and helped Vicki onto the horse and the two of them rode the stallion without permission. Jim was not happy when he saw Jan hanging from a tree branch and Vicki was still riding the wild horse, but they all learned a lesson that day.

Through the years, the family lived in Glendale, Reseda, Northridge and Chatsworth. Their close friends, Marge and Jim, who lived in Covina were God-parents to Jan and Vicki. And many of their high school friends moved west as well.

Jim loved his grandchildren. He was known as Grandpa and Jenniffer was the first-born and she was his little buddy. He took her to work with him, taught her things and he was always big on safety. He also taught his grandsons how to swear and how to swing a hammer. He was a little tougher on the boys, but he adored each one of his grandchildren.

Jim loved holidays, especially Christmas. Growing up on the farm, he always put up a real Christmas tree every year. One year, he tried a fake silver tree but he didn't' like it and said, "Christmas trees aren't pink." He was very funny and had a terrific sense of humor.

With extended family and friends, every weekend there was a party. From Friday night to Sunday, they rotated parties between the different houses. Jim loved playing cards games such as Rummy, Tripoli, and Pinochle.

With many favorites in life, Jim listened to music all the time. He loved Big Band and Country Music. He was an avid reader and he loved reading Westerns. His favorite actor was John Wayne. And he watched TV shows such as the Rifleman, Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

With a love of pets, the family had dogs and cats through the years. Jim rescued Rocky, a champagne colored poodle. He loved that dog and even took him to Montana on a job. Rocky would sit on his lap when he drove the car. He also loved his cats, especially the two cats that Jenniffer named Hollywood and Vine. And he enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels. He'd buy bags of wild bird feed and peanuts. He just loved nature and feeding the animals.

Vicki saved her money and sent Jim and Betty to Europe for their anniversary one year. They visited Scotland, Ireland, and Whales for three weeks in the 80s. It was an incredible trip. The couple also bought a condo on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and they took their grandchildren to visit Hawaii, too. There always seemed to be a reason for the family to get together or have a party – from birthdays to anniversaries.

Jim was the picture-taker in the family, documenting their lives with photographs. He had lots of cameras through the years that were high-tech for the day. He was so happy when the Polaroid Camera came on the market and he could take instant pictures. He took thousands of pictures over the years. And he was always the one behind the camera. No one was safe because he'd jump out when you least expect it and take a picture.

Jim liked taking the quad runners out to the desert in Arizona. John and Cliff rode the quad runners with Jim one time and when Jim rolled his, he landed in cactus – and there were cactus quills sticking out of his backside. It didn't stop him from riding the quad runners again. He'd go out on the quad runners with Jenniffer chasing the Jack-mice, which were really the Jack Rabbits. He was an excellent Grandpa and he always had fun.

He loved cars and jewelry. His favorite car was his black Cadillac four-door convertible. It was a custom car and he owned it for many years.

Jim was always strong, but his greatest loss came in 2009 with the death of his wife, Betty. He died the day she died. Life changed overnight and he missed her tremendously. For the last two years, Jim lived in a board and care facility. It was a really nice, private home. It was home style, they ate together, played Bingo and it was a relaxed atmosphere. His family visited regularly and Vicki spent every Saturday and Sunday there.

When he was in the hospital this last time, Vicki said she was going home and she grabbed his hand. Her father held her hand and said, "Put lotion on those hands; they're rough as hell." Vicki laughed and told him, "These are working hands, dad." Jim was still feisty and giving advice until the end. His family always knew how much he cared.

In the end, he passed away peacefully and his family knows he is reunited with Betty again, because she was the love of his life. Jim will best be remembered as hard working, smart, and fun. He was the life of the party. His entire family will miss him. No matter what was going on, they adapted. Jan and Vicki are so grateful that he cared for them when they needed him the most, and it came full circle, as they cared for him in his closing years. Vicki says as he changed their lives, his life also changed… and she became more patient and softer as a result. Jim's advice to everyone would be to think of him with mom, laugh and don't be sad.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Betty; his parents Lois and Benjamin; and his siblings Norma Jean and Marilyn; and his brother Larry passed away the day after Jim on February 7th.

He is loved and remembered by his daughter Janice and son-in-law John; his daughter Vicki; his granddaughter Jenniffer and fiancé Gilbert; his grandson James; his grandson Justin and girlfriend Patty; his sisters Phyllis and Shirley; his nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and many friends.

Jim's wife, Betty, has a web page as well: Betty Messersmith.