In Memoriam

James Harlow Wilmotte

 

James Harlow Wilmotte, 75, of Newburgh, IN, passed away Monday, April 25, 2016, at Golden Living Center – Brentwood in Evansville. He was born January 4, 1941, in Oak Park, IL, to the late James Edward Wilmotte, Jr. and Alice Elanor (North) Wilmotte.

He graduated from Yale University in 1963, working in IT from 1963 to 2006, primarily for Montgomery Ward and Zurich.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Rae (Hammerstrom) Wilmotte; brothers, Bill and Bob Wilmotte; and sister, Valerie Shankland.

He is survived by sons, Jeff Wilmotte (Sarah), Brad Wilmotte (Stephanie); brothers, Tom and Steve Wilmotte; sister, Sue (Wilmotte) Trainor; in-laws, Ken and Chris Hurless; grandchildren, Vanessa Wilmotte, Charlie Wilmotte; and many nieces and nephews.

 

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from Bill Zimmermann:

     I met Jim in the line where we all signed in on our first day on the Yale campus.  We immediately began a friendship that lasted 57 years, and I counted him as the best and most intimate friend I have had.  Jim was the best man at my wedding to Fran in 2003, and we began our honeymoon taking the flowers to Nancy who was battling cancer and in the hospital that day. 

Nancy was perhaps the best thing that ever came Jim’s way, and our friendship was active while they still lived in Arlington Heights, IL.  Nancy hung on until 2006, and they had built a house in Newburgh, IN where they planned to move after Jim’s retirement. 

Later in 2006 Jim moved to the house in Newburgh and we visited him there.  Sadly, he began to decline, living alone without Nancy.  There came a day when he would no longer allow visitors, so we talked almost daily on the phone.  Then, even that stopped, he entered a care facility, and just 11 days ago we went to Newburgh to deliver a eulogy for this truly wonderful human being. 

I will never forget his sense of humor, the depth of his understanding, and his fundamental kindness.

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