by Sean Roach

Orcas Island

It’s been a year since Jim left us and I decided to write this because I am upset with myself.

I am upset that I didn’t share my feelings about Jim at his memorial service and I wanted to get it out and let people know about the amazing man, friend and mentor that Jim Passer was and how he made a huge difference in my life and in the lives of many other kids who grew up on the island.

I met Jim Passer as a freshman at Orcas Island High School in 1992. He was a memorable guy with a huge personality. Someone who you liked immediately. Friendly and jovial, a practical joker but not over the line…well not ALWAYS over the line, but sometimes, maybe.

The next year, Jim became our high school baseball coach, and for the next three years, he mentored me and that whole generation of boys as we passed through that awkward phase of growing up, as a friend as much as he ever was an authority figure. Not in any inappropriate way, in fact, he was always a stickler for us to follow the rules and to present ourselves in the best possible way, but with a unique compassion that teenagers could feel and respect. Some of my best memories were made during baseball down in Buck Park, ranging from Jim’s advice on baseball and life, to our games, to times when he would create odd ways for us to avoid running after practice such as offering the team the option to avoid it if I was willing to stand on the picnic table behind the backstop and sing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” loudly enough for the whole team, and the whole softball team…well basically everyone in Buck Park to hear.

After high school we stayed in touch as I went through college, got married and started my family. In 2003, Steffanee and I moved back to the island to raise our family and Jim was there, and he welcomed us home.

Our relationship grew closer over the years and he ended up purchasing the Lower Tavern. He and Teri fell in love and got married and life moved on as it does, faster and faster as the years go by.

After moving off the island in 2011, whenever we would come home to Orcas, meeting up with Jim was one of the non-negotiable elements of any visit. We would hang out at the Lower, sometimes at his house and one time we even had a get-together with a handful of players from our high school baseball team, which was amazing.

There are very few people in this world who are able to help shepherd kids through adolescence and then turn around and allow the relationship to evolve into friendship. The ones who can do so are amazing, and Jim Passer was just that.

Looking back, I can’t believe it’s been a year. I miss you, Jim, and I always will.