James "Jim" A. Spring

James Spring was a prankster in every sense of the word! Goofy, fun loving and well liked, Jim shared much love and laughter with his family and friends, who delighted in his great sense of humor and were entertained by his antics. Because of his zestful pursuance of life, Jim reaped the rewards of great friends and a family that loved him dearly. James Anthony Spring was born on September 1, 1938, to proud parents, Frank and Olga Spring, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jim was the youngest in a family of four children; he had two brothers, Ron and Phillip, and a sister, Jo Ann. There was a ten-year age difference between Jim and his next oldest sibling, so he was literally the "baby" of the family, and as such, was greatly spoiled. His father died when Jim was still very young, and the family pulled together to support each other. Jim graduated from Muskegon Catholic High School in 1954 and received his business degree from Muskegon Business College. He wasn't much into athletics in school, but instead enjoyed hunting and fishing, and helping out in the family business, Spring Sporting Goods. It was during his adolescent years that Jim's exuberant sense of humor became one of his most defining traits. Friends and classmates were bursting at the seams with stories of Jim's practical jokes, like the time he packed his friend's car full of snow, while other times he put a trout on the engine or in the tailpipe of cars. His poor sister got the wits scared out of her when she found a snake in her bath water, thanks to Jim. It was said that Jim certainly missed his calling and should have been a comedian. After college, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Army, but received an early honorable discharge so he could return home to care for his ailing mother and run the family business. Lucky for him, it was right in front of their store that a young woman's car broke down one night and he went to see if he could help. Donna was thrilled that Jim came to her rescue as her knight and shining armor, and a few days later, she went back and asked him out. Because of his family obligations, Jim said no, but Donna wasn't deterred and asked again, to which he also said no. Not long after that Jim was swayed by his friends to pursue Donna, and the two were soon on their first date at a local hamburger place, known as the "gut shop" on Ottawa Street in Muskegon. The date that really counted, though, was when they had dinner at Jim's mother's house and Donna was oh so nervous. She dressed extra special for this dinner and was very polite. Jim, being the jokester he was, decided that Donna was "looking too perfect" and promptly sprayed her with whip cream, making everyone laugh and easing the tension. In his usual joking manner, Jim devised a plan to ask Donna to marry him. He placed the engagement ring box in a bag on the garage can at the family business, and asked Donna to look for something in the trash he didn't mean to throw away, at which time she would find the ring. Three months after their first date, Jim and Donna were happily married on December 14, 1943, and have spent 43 magical years together. The newlyweds spent a romantic honeymoon in Canada, fishing, taking walks and going on outdoor outings, which they both really enjoyed. Three years later, the couple became proud parents for the first time with the birth of their son, James. Two years later, he was joined by their daughter, Tamara, and the youngest of the family, Brenda, arrived three years after that. Jim was so very proud of his children and would do anything for them. They were never exempt from his silliness; he would dance around the house being all goofy, making everyone smile and laugh. Now, as a grandfather, Jim could share these silly things with his grandson, Kyle, which was sure to bring a smile to his face. Time together was always important, and Jim, Donna and the kids looked forward to their annual camping trip with their extended family to Cadillac, Michigan, where fun was the name of the game. They fished, played games and watched the fireworks each summer, all of which left indelible memories with everyone. Jim was a big dog lover, and when his kids were growing up they had a German Shepherd and a Boxer who Jim treated like one of the kids. Later, they got a few Golden Retrievers and a bird dog for hunting, who was amazingly afraid to swim, and Jim pampered them all. In fact, it was these loyal companions who alerted Donna when Jim collapsed from a heart attack. They barked at her controllably and practically dragged her from bed to where Jim lay on the floor by his computer. After Jim lost his mother, he inherited some money, which he and Donna used to move to Cadillac, Michigan, where they bought "Jack's Party Store." They owned and operated the store for ten years before the State closed it because of ground pollution from gas tanks buried beneath the building. This was truly bad luck for the couple, but unfortunately, it was just the beginning. After the store closed, they moved back to Muskegon and both got jobs at Wal-Mart. Jim left after only a short time to take a job at Al Perris selling furniture. After eight years, however, the store closed in 2005, and Jim was without a job again. Not quite ready for retirement, Jim went back to work at Wal-Mart, where he worked until his unexpected death. Jim was a wonderful, fun-loving man. His family and friends will never forget his silly smile, the way he told jokes or those silly pranks that made everyone laugh. He knew how to brighten every day and will be dearly missed.