Book of Memories for James M. Yarusso

Condolence From Kathy (Barrett) Allen

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:52:24 EDT

My sincere condolences to Aunt Marlene and to your family on your loss of Uncle Jim. My prayers are with you all, though distance prevents me from being there with you during this sad time. Kathy (Barrett) Allen

Story shared: A Loving Presence in Our Lives

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:05:26 EDT

I will always remember my Uncle Jim as the one who kept his pleasant, calm disposition in the midst of the boisterous chaos that was the nature of our family gatherings. Never a harsh word or a reprimand, no matter how many screaming, crying children surrounded him. He was always a loving, smiling presence. I never saw him angry. As testified by the other stories here, he put his energies into fixing the world, not just the things, but the people. He noticed our needs, our moods, and found a way to show by his example that the world could be a more peaceful, loving place. My favorite memory of my Uncle Jim is that he gave me my first paying job that was not babysitting. Somehow, he saw that I really needed to know that there was more to life for girls than taking care of babies (not that it isn't important, just that we all need other outlets for our creative genius). So he paid me to help him paint his basement staircase. I must have been ten years old. By the time we finished, I had more paint on me than on the stairs, but he never said a word. He just praised me and thanked me and paid me for my work. I was so proud. Thank you Uncle Jim. We will miss you.

Condolence From Michelle Lackner

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:06:25 EDT

So sorry to hear the sad news...I am in Prague, and feel the sorrow of your loss... With enough love to cross an ocean, Michelle Lackner

Story shared: Vacation, "smay-cation"

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:02:49 EDT

both Jim and Marlene were ever so kind to the Barrett family over the years, helping to fill a void. They took the time to visit us on their vacations or free days and, no matter what, Jim was always trying to fix anything in our home that he thought needed fixing. I know he spent time working at Maureen's house when he was in Florida, driving over from his winter home to "visit" with a box of tools, repairing the bathrooms at Pat's home in St. Louis because he was just sitting around (so he said). I was attending one of the lovely family gatherings at Jim and Marlene's home in Lake Elmo and he walked me to my truck when I was leaving and noted a few problems with my old pick-up. He was ever polite, and he diplomatically offered to put a seat belt in my beat-up old pick-up truck when he saw that I was using a rope to tie in Jill's car seat (the truck was also missing a fender but he did not have one of those in his garage so he settled on offering to install the seat belt). His sense of humor and his Italian ways and his love of bocce ball are his legacy. I will miss him.

Condolence From Pat Gehring

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:53:38 EDT

I am remembering the good old days from St. Peter's, Hill-Murray, 3M, and St. Ambrose, sharing moments about life and families. Jim had a way of lifting up your day! Great man with a soft, kind, sweet, and caring heart. He will be missed.

Condolence From Pat Ritchie

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:00:49 EDT

Dear Family, My sincere condolences to all on the loss of your loved one. Regards, Pat Ritchie

Condolence From Bev Erickson, #9186

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:15:17 EDT

Dave, Barb, and family. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. May you all hold onto beautiful memories of good times shared together. I'm glad he lived long enough to see so many of his family's accomplishments. I'm sure he was proud and filled with joy. You are being upheld in my prayers. Bev E. (#9186)

Story shared: cutting a hole in my bedroom wall :-)

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:53:06 EDT

After John's back went out and the ambulance couldn't make the turn into our bedroom, we decided to take out a wall and install a patio door. Jim spent an entire day of his vacation at my house helping install the door, guiding the headers, leveling and measuring. We are eternally grateful for his help, his cheerful generosity and his kindness. What a wonderful person. He will be missed.

Story shared: Mr. Plan it, Do it, Fix it

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:10:19 EDT

He loved to plan and build stuff. When we were building our house, Jim would just "drive by" (like 8 miles out of his way anywhere) to see how the workers were doing. He saved me a bunch of money and headaches with the construction workers. Not only in design but keeping the guys on the job and making sure everything was plumb. He really enjoyed the building stuff process and its outcome. We are very grateful and blessed that he spent some of his precious retirement time at our home and making it better. We will miss him too. Dan and Juli Barrett family

Condolence From Charlie and Janet Ek

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:14:03 EDT

Please accept our deepest condolences on the loss of your husband and father. We remember Jim as a person with a ready smile, and we know how important he was to your family. Our thoughts are with all of you on this sad occasion.

Story shared: Mr. Do-It-Yourself

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:06:32 EDT

My Dad was famous for being able to do almost anything himself. He designed and built two homes, remodeled multiple times, put on an addition, fixed cars, painted, etc. However, once in a while things didn't quite turn out as well as usual. I still remember the time he decided he could repaint his Rambler station wagon with brushes and outdoor enamel. He didn't need a body shop! That car had brush marks forever more and and the blue paint started to turn chalky white rather quickly. However, it still had that famous naked swan diver as a hood ornament!

Photo shared: The Yarusso offspring

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:55:34 EDT

Dad's birthday 2007

Photo shared: With family

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:54:47 EDT

Dad's birthday, 2007

Photo shared: Proud great-grandpa

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:50:51 EDT

Jim with Trenton, Christmas, 2004

Photo shared: Down and dirty

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:48:53 EDT

Cattle branding in Montana

Photo shared: A chip off the old block

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:47:41 EDT

Jim and Dave

Photo shared: Proud Parents

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:47:06 EDT

Jim and Marlene with Dave and JoAnn

Photo shared: Dave and Jim

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:46:15 EDT

Playing in the basement.

Photo shared: Dave, Jim, and Joe

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:44:33 EDT

Three generations of Yarusso men.

Photo shared: Yarusso,_James_Obituary_Photo.jpg

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:43:57 EDT