son of Rev. Alfred and Jean(Creswell) Spotts
James (Jim) Creswell Spotts was born March 2, 1948 in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, to the Reverend Alfred Spotts and Martha Jean Creswell Spotts. He grew up in Sterling, Kansas and was one of eight children. Jim passed away on July 14, 2013 in San Francisco, after a battle with cancer, at age 65. Jim attended Maryville College, graduating in 1970. He spent his junior year at University of Ibadan, Nigeria. After college he did two years of service at a Boston hospital, where he served after becoming a conscientious objector. Jim moved to San Francisco in 1974. He opened a restaurant and then became a licensed contractor, renovating and building houses. In 2005, Jim moved to Mariposa, California, where he pursued his love of nature. Jim was active in environmental, Audubon, Democratic, and other community improvement and interest groups. He had many friends who, with his large family, valued his caring nature and fun-loving spirit. He loved animals, especially his dogs. Jim was on the board of Family Link and instrumental in the restoration of its guesthouse. The charity offers families visiting loved ones who have life-threatening illnesses a safe place to stay. Memorial gifts can be sent to Family Link, 317 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94114-1504.
son of Rev. Alfred Lewis & Martha Jean(Creswell) Spotts
Died July 14, 2013 in San Francisco.
James Creswell Spotts (Jim) was born March 2, 1948, in New Brighton, Pa., to the Rev. Alfred Spotts and Martha Jean Creswell Spotts. Several years later the family moved to Sterling, Kan., his “home.” Jim passed away on July 14 in San Francisco, after a battle with cancer, at age 65.
After graduating from Sterling High School in, Sterling, Kan., in l966, he attended Maryville College, in Maryville, Tenn., graduating in 1970. His adventuresome spirit and love for all people was a motivation for his junior year spent at University of Ibadan, in Nigeria, and spending a summer in Ethiopia. After college, he was registered as a CO and did alternate service at a Boston hospital for two years.
An English major whose diverse interests led him to jobs including running a restaurant in San Francisco, Jim later became a skilled contractor, renovating and building houses in San Francisco. In 2005, Jim moved to Mariposa, where he pursued his love of nature and the challenge of growing his food and flowers in a unique landscape. He was active in environmental, Audubon, and other community improvement and interest groups.
Jim had many friends who, with his large family, valued his loving and caring nature and fun loving spirit. He loved animals, especially his dogs.
Preceding Jim in death were brothers Joe and John in 2008 and his parents in 2012 and 2013. Surviving siblings are Al and wife, Maggie Steptoe, Louisville, Ky.; Ann and husband, Chuck Haspels, Cortez, Colo.; Andy, Chicago; Jan and husband, Jim McHenry, Houston, and Tim, Concord, Calif.
Jim was a special, beloved uncle to 10 nieces and nephews and a grandniece and grandnephew.
Memorial gifts can be sent to Family Link, 317 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94114-1504. Jim was on the board and instrumental in the restoration of this guest house serving families visiting loved ones with life-threatening illnesses.
A memorial service celebrating Jim’s life will be held at 3 p.m. this Saturday, July 27 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in the Mission area of San Francisco, 110 Julian Avenue. Jim’s ashes will be placed in the cemetery in Sterling, Kan. at a later time.
Jessica Eastwood beautifully wrote and presented the poem below for Jim’s Service. I can’t think of a better Final fb Post. Thank You, Jess.
Poem to Jim
Losing you feels cruel.
Who else can remodel or build a house,
make daisies smile,
help me pass Algebra,
keep track of all birthdays and vacations,
maintain relation with 7 siblings,
irrigate gardens,
care for dogs, cats and birds,
can pears and jam,
drive dust-kicking miles to visit family,
defeat the odds for 30 years,
and when the end is near,
be kind and thoughtful of everyone:
family, friends and all medical staff you come in contact with.
Jim, you cared for us all until the very end.
Your image is durable:
Tee or flannel shirt.
Carpenter’s pants.
Thick, speckled cotton socks.
Loafers.
The “Jim way” you cleared your throat, especially when eating.
Always, a cup of coffee.
Your sister Ann said it, and I am sure many here could echo it –
“I will miss his calls.”
You were the husband, father, brother or friend many never had.
You were an uncle for Adam and I,
And now I know so clearly, you were a blessing.
When the staff at the hospital asked who I was as you were wheeled
into your last radiation treatment a few weeks ago, you offered,
“my daughter.”
Jim, you were like that.
The kind of bond that meant we would weather things,
and get right back to the essentials: gardens, recipes, brownies,
elections, our pets and whose good looks had charmed us.
We shared the same astrological sign, emotional sensitivity, endlessly
giving nature and difficulty with getting to sleep at night.
You taught me the roughest lessons without meaning to:
that love is come and go,
and I must love along the way.
In 1986 when you began remodeling our house,
holding the frying pan and flipping omelets in the air,
I started to think you had moved in.
You were everything.
You shrugged the status quo.
You made me.
That means I am strong enough to hold your hand when you are leaving us,
when I can’t control a cure.
I am only relieved that you are not suffering in any way now,
that you can rest with the spirits of those friends you lost,
your brothers John and Joe, your parents Al and Jean
and those dogs Mabel, Duke and Angus.
Many, many here will miss you.
A piece of me went with you,
but your traits live on in us.
Thank you for being our friend,
We love you.
Alfred Lee Burgert
