Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home.--William Wordsworth
I got word that my good Santa buddy, Jim Lewis, passed away in Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles on Sunday August 15 . He was in total heart failure. There was little they could do short of keeping him permanently on life support. This indeed is sad news. I met Jim some 16 years ago on the Universal Studios back lot. He and I and eight other Santas were there to shoot a commercial for a German catalog company called Otto Versant. (I was told Otto is the German equivalent of Sears. After looking at the catalog, I'd say that was pretty accurate.) Actually, I met Jim weeks before at the audition for the commercial. I had a great conversation with him while we changing into our Santa suits. He was totally gregarious and treated me like we were old friends. It was almost as if you were compelled to like Jim. He had a personality as big as all outdoors that literally picked you up and carried you into his prodigious circle of friends.
It was on this commercial shoot that Jim and a couple of the other guys put their heads together and decided it would be fun to start a Santa fraternity called the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas. The idea was that we'd all meet up once a year after the holiday season and get caught up and swap stories. And, that's just what we did. It was
always great fun. Our numbers grew each year, and now there are hundreds. It was terrific to always pick up where we'd left off the previous year. I always looked for Jim at these functions. I never wanted to miss getting caught up with him. The last time I saw Jim was 20 January of '08, at the annual Santas reuinion. (The picture I posted of Jim and I is from that event, and part of a larger photo that appeared in the Los Angeles Times. The other pics are from the Otto shoot.)
Not only was Jim a top-of-the-line Santa, appearing as Nordstrom's Santa at South Coast Plaza for 25 years, he was also a master professional storyteller. He created an original script and a persona, Grandpa Jim, which he employed as a means telling stories of pioneers on the Oregon Trail at a myriad of venues including camps, work shops, schools, conventions, etc. In this facet of his career, he told countless stories as he appeared before thousands of eager listeners. As a member of the South Coast Storytellers Guild, Jim generously shared his know-how and talent with other storytellers, and wanna' be story tellers. He most recently trotted out Grandpa Jim for an educational company called Dream Shapers who create educational programs for schools.
Jim was a fighter and survivor of prostate cancer. In fact he won two bouts with the malady; refusing chemo treatments through the ordeal because he did not want to lose one his best physical attributes, his wonderful snow white Santa beard. You gotta' love a guy like that.
(Thanks to Santa Tim for providing Jim's particulars)
Santa Jim Lewis, you are loved and you most certainly are going to be missed. While we are saddened by bidding you adieu, we know there are others joyously awaiting a reunion with you on the other side. I'm sure you'll be put to work right away brightening the lives of others there. Farewell for now my dear friend. I shall miss you, but will think of you fondly and often. Vaya con Dios, Santa Joe.
Anyhow, that's how Santa sees it!
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