James Lavas

James Lavas was an energetic man who was all about hockey and was known for his heart of gold. He was no stranger to adversity and was thankful to be surrounded by his loving and encouraging family throughout the peaks and valleys of his life's journey. Jimmy was a bit mischievous from a young age and his fun-loving spirit and great sense of humor will live on in the hearts of all those he leaves behind. The 1960s are known as the Age of Youth as children from the post-war baby boom became teenagers and young adults. In 1960, the Winter Olympics were held in Squaw Valley, California, and the United States Hockey Team captured the gold medal. Also during this time, Theresa Lavas, of Muskegon, Michigan, was eagerly anticipating the birth of her baby at any time. She was indeed blessed on March 2, 1961, with the healthy birth of her son, James. While he was still quite young, Jimmy, as he came to be known, moved with his family to Chicago, Illinois where sister, Susie would later be born. Right from the start, Jimmy exhibited his mischievous side and his mother lovingly refers to him as a problem child as he was often involved in the antics that young boys are so famous for. Jimmy liked to play cowboys, however, his version included tying up the babysitter! There was also the time that he bit his Uncle Dave and the time that he lost a big snake in their apartment, forcing his family to move. One particular Sunday, Jimmys mother put a pot roast in the crock pot and then took a drive with the family while Jimmy stayed home. Upon their return, they found the crock pot empty as Jimmy thought it was for him and had devoured the whole thing! Jimmy was also known to torment his younger sister a time or two. Jimmy was raised primarily in the big city where early on he developed a passion for hockey and was also interested in fishing and enjoyed attending rock music concerts too. He also taught his sister how to ice skate when she was younger and skating soon became a passion of hers, just as it was for him. As an adult, she is truly appreciative of Jimmys effort as she is now a figure skating coach. As an adult, Jimmy continued to be a unique individual with diverse interests and character traits for which he will be forever remembered. He enjoyed cooking pasta dishes and grilling steak and he additionally loved shrimp, burgers, lobster, and fresh salads. Jimmy enjoyed watching gangster and karate movies and on television, his favorite things to watch were the Honeymooners, the History Channel, and of course hockey, especially the Chicago Black Hawks. In fact, history always fascinated Jimmy and his head was full of historical information of all kinds. Jimmys musical tastes were diverse as he liked the rock genre including the bands Yes and Pink Floyd, but also the timeless music of Frank Sinatra. Jimmy was employed as an assistant plumber and at times, even held down two jobs at once. There were a few phrases that were synonymous with Jimmy including Hey, kid, No sus, and Right. A difficult part of Jimmys life was his life-long drug addiction that was heartbreaking for his family as well. He tried to overcome his addiction many times, but was never successful. Jimmys family was always there to help him with his plight in any way they could and his mother always believed in him, loved him unconditionally, and did everything she possibly could for him. His Uncle Dave and Aunt Sheri were also special people in his life who brought him to Michigan a few years ago where they hoped that a smaller town would aid in his fight to overcome his difficulties. His Aunt Sue and Uncle Terry also tried to help him by providing furnishings and other provisions. Family was always an important part of Jimmys life in many ways. He was blessed with the birth of his daughter, Jackie, whom his family quickly called a miracle baby. When Jackie was little, he often took her to McDonalds every week where he fed her lunch and watched her play. She was his little princess and he loved her very deeply. After a time he didnt see her often, although she continued to hold a special place in his heart. Jimmy also loved his nephews - taking Jager and Nick James to the park. Nick acquired his middle name after his uncle and lovingly called Jimmy Uncle Ju-No-No. Jimmy Lavas was a man who struggled to overcome his challenges, but he was so much more than a man with an addiction. He enjoyed cooking, a music enthusiast, and a die-hard Chicago Black Hawks fan. Jimmy was a doting big brother who shared his passion for skating with his younger sister, he was a tender uncle who loved having fun, and he was a loving father who was captivated by his precious daughter. Jimmy had a heart of gold and loved fishing and learning about history, but most of all, he was a man who fought hard to become who he always wanted to be and that his family always saw inside. Jimmy will be dearly missed as he continues to watch over his daughter and family from the heavenly skies. James Lavas died on Monday, June 15, 2009. Jimmys family includes his daughter, Jackie Lavas-Vinci of IL; mother, Theresa (John) Scuris of CA; sister, Susie (John) Kelly of Muskegon; nephews, John Jager & Nicholas James Kelly; aunts & uncles, David (Sheri) Paynter of West Olive, Susan (Terry) Gongalski of Norton Shores, Gerald (Pat) Haruki of MA; & several cousins. A service will be held on Friday, June 19, 2009, 1:00 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Home Chapel, Grand Haven with Fr. William Langlois officiating. Interment at Lakeshore Cemetery. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a memory or sign the online guest book. Arrangements provided by Clock Life Story Funeral Homes Grand Haven location Grand Haven, MI.