About Jim King
He was an Athens Township Supervisor and was Chairman of the Board at the time of his passing. He got involved in the political life knowing that it was time consuming but he believed that what he was doing could make a difference in the community. One of his quotes that you could hear him say frequently was, “Progress must go on.” He was instrumental in Athens Township getting a manufacturer to locate a division of their business in the township. The major road in the township, Elmira Street, is filled with businesses due to Jim’s leadership and the township supervisor’s foresight that there was a way to build the township into a profitable business area.
Jim’s goals were to always make the community into a place where families could reside, be employed and raise their families in a rural area and to have something to offer their children so they will be able to stay and raise their own families in the area. He believed in the children and youth of our community and recognized that they were our future so he did what he could to improve the quality of life in the community for them.
A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. We recognized that Jim had the foresight to believe that he could make a difference and followed through with his intent to do so.
Jim’s life was cut short at 44 years of age due to brain cancer. He was diagnosed in September of 2004 with malignant gioblastoma tumors. At the time of the diagnosis they gave him a 2 to 3 month survival rate and if surgery was done that he would not be himself and probably paralyzed on one side. Jim and his family decided to risk the surgery and in doing so the surgeons removed a tumor on the right side of his brain. That left a tumor on the left side that could not be removed and would require radiation.
Throughout each of his treatments, the staff of the hospital was constantly amazed at his perseverance, positive attitude and his constant good humor. He was nicknamed, King James and was according to the staff, their Ray of Sunshine when he went for his treatments. Jim entered into research programs through Sloan-Kettering Hospital and Duke University. His courage led him to enter these programs even if they were not able to save him he hoped that whatever he had done could save someone else in the future. At a benefit that was given to help aid in the medical expenses, the parent of an 18 year old girl who had recently been diagnosed with the same cancer came to support Jim in his fight. When Jim heard that she was without hair due to the chemotherapy treatments he requested that the funds to purchase her a wig be donated to her mother.
Jim never gave up fighting but he also said that no matter how it turned out that he had led a good life and was grateful for the time he been given and what he had been a able to be a part of in his life. Jim got to live to see many of his dreams accomplished and some became a part of his legacy after his death. Jim fought his cancer for 11 months and maintained his sense of humor, generosity, friendliness, kindness, integrity and dignity throughout. Jim taught many of us through his illness that you must face whatever comes your way head on with courage, laughter and tears but always with hope. He taught us how to live but showed many of us how to die.
Due to the kind of man that Jim was, a group of people decided that something should be done to carry on his legacy. This legacy of service to family, friends, to better our local communities and beyond, helping those who are in need and assuring that our children and youth will have advocates to support them. He left us a large task to carry on and we believe that we have taken a step to help carry on his legacy.
This is the purpose of this website and “The Jim King Memorial Firefighters’ Scholarship 5K.” Our goal by setting up a $1000.00 yearly scholarship in Jim’s memory at the Athens Area High School is to aid someone entering the public service field. It is not so much to honor the man as to remember what he stood for and to carry on the legacy that he left us. By doing this we know that we have remembered a man who was:
“A Life That Touched The Hearts Of Others And Will Live On Forever.”
