the Most Interesting Man I Knew

In a career like mine, you meet a lot of people. I've met presidents, legislators, governors, captains of industry like Sam Walton of Wal-Mart fame and many others. But the most interesting person I can recall meeting was James Marshal "Jimmie" Lovell. Jimmie died recently at the ago of 90.

I got to know Jimmie through the Press Club of Dallas' Gridiron shows. I've always been a singer, and something of a "ham", so as part of my involvement in the Press Club I would perform in their annual musical that poked fun at local and national politics, politicians, etc. Jimmie and I are both former presidents of the Press Club and served on their board for years and we also served together on the board of their Foundation. So I was in a lot of meetings with Jimmie and over time got to know him and his wife Wyn. They knew each other since high school and were married for 68 years at the time of Jimmie's death.

Jimmie served in the Navy in WWII and was involved in key amphibious landings at Iwo Jima, Tarawa and Okinawa. After the war he sold newspaper advertising and played amateur ice hockey. Later in life he ran several chambers of commerce, edited a newspaper, worked in telecommunications, became an oilman with gas and oil wells, became a venture capitalist, then founded a nonprofit organization that led archaeological expeditions to the Polynesian islands. He and Wyn became self-taught archaeologists and at one time owned a second home in Scotland so they could participate in archaeological digs on that island as well.

So Jimmie had lots of stories to tell - and he was a very good story teller. It was a delight to listen to him and it was my pleasure to have had him as a friend. He will be missed.