James Joseph Harp ¹

   Cause of his death was Cancer.⁷

  General Notes:

 
See the countless Christmas trees,
around the world below.
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
Reflecting on the snow.
 
The sight is so spectacular,
Please wipe away the tear,
for I am spending Christmas,
With Jesus Christ this year.
 
I hear the many Christmas songs,
that people hold so dear.
But the sounds of music can't compare
With the Christmas Choir up here.
 
I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring.
For it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing
 
I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart,
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.
 
So be happy for me, dear ones,
you know I hold you dear.
And be glad I'm spending Christmas,
With Jesus Christ this year.
 
I sent you each a special gift.
From my heavenly home above
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.
 
After all, love is a gift
more precious than pure gold.
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told
 
Please love and keep each other,
as my Father said to do,
for I can't count the blessings
He has for each of you.
 
So have a Merry Christmas,
and wipe away that tear.
Remember, I am spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year! ⁸

  Medical Notes:

We are winding down on what was a great winter in FL.  We will be flying home, to arrive late Tuesday, with great sadness.  Jim has not been feeling well for about 6 weeks.  We saw an MD here, had some lab work and a CT scan, and yesterday had the bomb dropped.  He has two large tumors on the liver, probably metastatic.  Dr Meyer has set him up with a Thurs appt in Appleton for follow-up and treatment.  He is very tired, but able to eat and his spirits are pretty good, under the circumstances.
 
 
<=====>
 
 
We just got home from Jim's gastroscope. The good news is that they did not find an upper GI malignancy, and the 2 liver tumors may be primary and not metastatic. He will have a liver biopsy on Monday. That should further define the problem. He is feeling a bit more positive, but still has no appetite and is weak and tired. Pain though is minimal and relieved with medication.
 
 
<=====> 
 
 
We are exploring options for treatment for Jim's liver cancer... confirmed by biopsy, probably spread from the pancreas. He will have a stent put in the bile duct tomorrow, as a comfort measure. Followed by a referral to an oncologist.
 
 
<=====> 
 
 
We have finished with the testing...many blood tests, gastroscopy, CT scan with liver biopsy, ERCP with placement of a stint in the bile duct.
 
Yesterday we saw on oncologist.  He spent a lot of time with us, reviewing everything.  The facts did not change of course.  It is still metastatic liver cancer, with the primary probably in one of the ducts. The good news is that there is no sign of any involvement in the bowel, bladder, prostate or lungs.  The course of treatment, which we will begin on Monday, will be radiation 5 X weekly X 3 to 4 weeks. Hopefully, the tumors will shrink, the bile will flow more normally [the stint did help somewhat] he will feel better, get his appetite back, followed by some strength, etc, etc.  He did emphasize that this is not a cure. I think that was the hardest for Jim to hear.  But those of you that know us well know that we have tried to live each moment to our best, because “you never know when the big truck is coming around the corner at you.”
 
 
<=====> 
 
 
Jim has started both chemotherapy once a week, and radiation 5 days a week.  The chemo is an IV drip and runs for 2 hours while he sits in a lounge chair.  Radiation only takes about 15 minutes.  And so far he has had no problems with either except a little nausea.  So if they only help it will be worth the effort.  He is still very tired and sleeps most of the time.  He doesn't have as much pain, so I'm grateful for that. Getting him to eat is a challenge.  I fix a small amount of his favorites, but only a few bites and he's had enough.
 
He never complains or gets upset about anything.  It's so hard to watch him and not be able to do anything about it.
 
On a more positive note, isn't it good to see the trees, grass and flowers come alive?  We ordered a new pontoon last fall and are going ahead with delivery next week.  I hope he enjoys it.  We've only gone out to our cottage once [it's about 35 miles away], but he did sit in the sun for a while.  We both 'watched' our kids do the annual spring-cleaning for a change.
 
We miss seeing you all...Thanks for the cards and notes ...they help a lot.
 
 
<=====> 
 
We are doing OK here.  While Jim is not really a lot better, he does sleep quite well and has virtually no pain.  We are grateful for that. He has had 2 Chemo treatments and about 10 days of Radiation and is tolerating them quite well.  He has no nausea [but still no desire for food] and still has his beautiful gray locks.  [That's only because I threatened to get out his famous blonde curly wig if he lost his hair. For those of you who have not heard that story, we'll have to get him to write, or dictate it!]
 
The days are busy though, yesterday we went for rad. therapy, then were to go to the Cath lab for the surgeon to place an IV port under the skin. [This would then be used for drawing blood and for giving chemo, etc.]  They got him into the Cath lab and all prepped when the surgeon had an emergency.  So we went home and will now go back for the procedure on Monday.  Today they are going to try to drain some of the fluid that is accumulating in the abdomen.  It is causing a lot of pressure and making him uncomfortable.
 
On the side of normalcy, we have been out to the cottage, and will gather there with the whole tribe [about 22?] on Sunday for Mother's day.  The boys arranged the delivery of the new pontoon that we bought last fall, and we will get Jim on it for it's maiden voyage.  The weather is supposed to be nice and with the boys to help, we should be able to pull this off.
 
We continue to appreciate your notes, cards, calls and visits.   And especially your prayers.  We know they are helping us to cope.
 
 
<=====> 
 
 
With great pain I am telling you of Jim's passing into eternity this afternoon at 1:30. He was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon, after a rough 24 hrs.  During the night , he became unresponsive.  We were all with him, except Maureen en route from Texas and Marty from No Carolina.  He went gently and peacefully, as he lived.  A few minutes before, he opened his eyes and then broke out in a beautiful wide smile. I know at that moment he saw the face of God.
 
We were so blessed to have had him for so long. May he now rest in peace.
 
We now pray for our peace as we cope with our loss. ^{9 10 11 12 13 14 15}

  Noted events in his life were:

• Degree: Biology from St. Norbert College, 1954, West De Pere, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. ^{16 17}

• Social Security Number: 390-28-0947, Bef 1951, , , Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁸

• Occupation: newspaper reporter for the Appleton Post-Crescent, 1954-1992, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA.  
Jim's life was dedicated to God's green earth and all its creatures. He shared that love freely with his family, friends and readers of The Post-Crescent throughout his lifetime. Jim joined the newspaper staff the day following his graduation from college, and served in a variety of roles in his 38 years at the newspaper, before retiring in 1992.

• Obituary: Appleton Post-Crescent, 21 May 2001, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁹
James Harp
Little Chute

The fish must have been biting in heaven on Saturday, May 19, 2001, when God called his servant James Joseph Harp to help with the catch. With his family at his side, he died as he lived his life, gently and peacefully, and with a final smile for all, just six weeks after receiving a diagnosis of cancer.

Jim walked this earth for 69 years, 50 of those spent with the love of his life, Barbara (Scherer). He was born March 15, 1932, in Little Chute. He graduated from St. John Grade School and High School, Little Chute, and received a degree in Biology from St. Norbert College, De Pere, in 1954. But his real classroom was the out-of-doors. His life was dedicated to God's green earth and all its creatures. He shared that love freely with his family, friends and readers of The Post-Crescent throughout his lifetime. Jim joined the newspaper staff the day following his graduation from college, and served in a variety of roles in his 38 years at the newspaper, before retiring in 1992. His favorite assignment was outdoor editor, and he wrote a column titled "Single Shot." It became his moniker for the many years he spent "battling the elements," as he put it, hunting and fishing virtually every species on this continent, and a few beyond these borders. He also was known as "Mr. Valentine" for his tradition of making certain that no female employee at the newspaper went unrecognized on that special day. During his tenure at The Post-Crescent, he developed the Master Angler Contest as well as the Bowl-O-Rama, in which thousands of people participated over the years.

Many of Jim's articles were shared with audiences beyond the Fox Valley. He had one story on Lake Winnebago's sturgeon published in the Wall Street Journal, a variety of articles in Field & Stream magazine, and one of his tales was the subject of a Paul Harvey broadcast. During his retirement, he became a columnist for the Fox Cities Newspapers and was warmed by the response from readers who said they had missed his tales over the past few years.

With his wife of 47 years at his side, Jim was most at home in a boat docked at their cottage The Duck Shack on Lake Poygan. The north woods was a second love, and his years with his buddies at Shangri-Lodge made for many good newspaper stories and memories for us all. Jim and Barb truly enjoyed get-togethers with friends, and whether he was "skippering" the Annual Cecil Cruise or presiding at a barbecue or campfire, Jim's understated humor, droll commentary on life and occasional country-music song-stylings will remain treasured remembrances.

Jim and Barb were blessed with eight children who learned early that life's adventures and the out-of-doors would be a big part of their lives. They include: Mary and Jeff Harp-Jirschele, Menasha; Mike and Lynn Harp, Combined Locks; Marcy and Todd Voss, Neenah; Maureen Bogenschutz, Longview, Texas; Marty and Karen Harp, Lewisville, North Carolina; Matt and Ellen Harp, Hortonville, and Mark Harp, Little Chute. A daughter, Margaret, died in 1990 and was waiting at Heaven's Gate to greet her dad.

Jim was a kind and gentle soul who had a way with little ones, and he was a wonderful grandfather to Angela LeNoble, Ben and Sam Harp; Matt McCarty, Evan Voss and Chandra Federle; Sarah and Jason Bogenschutz; Alex, Annabelle and Margaret Harp; Garret Harp; and one great-granddaughter Taryn Beckstrom.

Jim was the oldest of five rambunctious brothers born to Gene and Loretta (Heesakker) Harp. His brothers and their wives include Tom and Ruth Harp, Appleton; David and Arlene Harp, Green Bay; and Richard and Carol Harp, Menasha. His brother, Leo, preceded him in death, as did his parents. Other survivors include Barb's brother and his wife, John and Joan Scherer, Darboy, and Barb's sister, Pat Van Camp, St. Louis.

Also on hand to welcome him home to God were Barb's parents, John and Laura (Pfiester) Scherer; a sister-in-law, Sr. Mary Scherer, and a brother-in-law, Jim Van Camp.

Beyond writing and family, Jim's interests and hobbies were many. As a young man he was a skilled basketball and baseball player, as well as a boxer. He also dabbled in drama, and earned the nickname "Digger" for one especially memorable role. His lifelong sporting passions included bowling, golf and the Blohm's Insurance softball team. Most recently, he was a first-rate shuffleboard player at their retirement village in North Ft. Myers, Florida. In between all the activity, he reveled in beating Barb (occasionally) in their daily games of Scrabble.

He was a man who loved people, and paired with his love for the outdoors, he forged many bonds with organizations like the Wild Turkey Federation, Sturgeons for Tomorrow, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Dave's Musky Club, World Musky Hunt, Fun Seekers, JBTDBK Fishing Club and Outdoor Writers of America. He was a member of St. Paul Parish in Combined Locks, the Little Chute Kiwanis and a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to help handicapped people of all ages enjoy the outdoors as much as Jim did.

Friends may celebrate Jim's life with the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, 2001, at St. Paul Catholic Church, Combined Locks, where there will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, May 23, 2001, visitation will continue from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. with Fr. Bob Vandenberg officiating. Inurnment will be in St. Paul Cemetery, Combined Locks, next to his daughter Margaret.

• Funeral: St Paul's Catholic Church, 23 May 2001, Combined Locks, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ²⁰  
                We'd like to tell you about this man we called our Dad
                            Remembrances of Jim Harp
                                        May 23, 2001
 
  
A Special Twosome
 
You can't talk about my father without talking about my mother. They were a pair, a partnership, a lifelong testimony to love and respect of each other. I told a group I spoke to recently that it took me what felt like a lifetime to find someone I could get along with as well as my parents got along with each other.

As children, we never saw them utter a word in anger to each other. They came close once - the night Mom took out the Styrofoam container of Hanegraaf's hot beef for dinner, dumped it in a pan, and it turned out to be two dozen night crawlers. Somehow, they always seemed to find a way to calmly deal with situations that presented themselves, no matter the magnitude. In that instance, the very next week Dad got his own refrigerator in the garage for his crawly creatures. That was typical of the way they quietly handled problems that surfaced.

Mom's background as a nurse who dealt with crisis situations everyday, and Dad's personality as a peaceful, gentle man who loved the earth and everything on it, worked perfectly together. They were a team that efficiently handled the birth of 8 children in 12 years, and a twosome that has been in their glory as they watched us grow into people they could be proud of.

And we're proud of them. Mom's last and greatest gift to Dad and to all of us was the loving care she took of him in these past few weeks.
 
We love you, Mom. Goodbye, Dad
 
--Mary
 
  
Dad in the Spotlight
 
Although Dad did not seek attention, I'm sure we all remember the times he was thrust into the spotlight.

We remember Dad's storytelling and leading us in song around the campfire at Peninsula State Park.

At weddings and anniversaries he couldn't get away without singing "Please Release Me" or "Lucille,' even though he couldn't carry a tune and always broke the band's rhythm.

If he didn't get you with his dry humor, animation and gestures, he got you with a big grin at the end, which you couldn't help but laugh at.

Besides speaking at public functions, Dad always led us in prayer at family meals and gatherings. Something like this:

"In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We thank you, Lord, for bringing us all together to celebrate on this day. We pray for those less fortunate and those who could not be with us today. Amen."

Dad, you will always be with us and we will always be more fortunate because of you.
   
We love you,
  
--Mike
 
  
He Taught Us How to Laugh
  
My Dad had a great sense of humor. Who else would have had 8 kids?! He always had a joke to tell or a funny little saying that fit every conversation. He could tell the same joke again a few weeks later and you would still laugh just as hard. The entertaining way he would tell the story was even funnier than the punch line.

When we were teenagers and wanted some phone privacy, we would stretch the phone cord across the hall and stand in the closet to talk. Then Dad would come by, put the cord in his ear, and nod his head as if he could hear every word.

Some of the most fun I've ever had has been with my parents. Dad's social calendar was always full. When it wasn't a hunting or fishing trip, there would be something planned with family or friends. Sometimes it was just a steak fry with neighbors; there were camping trips, Packer game outings, weekends to Poygan or Shangri-Lodge. Most evenings ended up with Dad singing and dancing. Even after his legs weren't so steady anymore, you could always get him on the dance floor. Whether it was at a banquet ball waltzing with Mom or doing the Lawnmower Dance with the babes of Boom Bay, he claimed to be an expert with "catlike" moves. And many nights he outlasted some of the younger group. It wasn't until I was older that I understood what Dad meant when he got up in the morning, rubbed his head and said, "My hair hurts."

My Dad's fun-loving personality and sense of humor will live on. I think he passed it on to some of his children.
 
--Marcy
 
 
You Taught Me to Love the Outdoors

Colorful autumn leaves glittering in the sunshine
A glowing campfire; stars twinkling in the darkness above
Newborn flowers pushing their way up through the green grass
The tall evergreens tailored in a coat of new-fallen snow
Appreciating Mother Nature and all that she shares with us
The beautiful animals, birds and fish
All this I have experienced thanks to you,
And I too shall...
"Teach My Children to Love the Outdoors"
 
I wrote this poem to Dad for Father's Day back in 1981. I am forever grateful for the special times he took me fishing. But most of all, I admired his kindness, patience, generosity and thoughtfulness to everyone.

--Maureen
 
 
The Things I Will Miss About You, Dad
 
    •    Your countless stories of life and wisdom.
    •    Your many catch phrases like "born in a barn" or "first day out of a plowed field."
    •    The hunting boots you never laced to the top.
    •    The smell of fresh-cleaned game on the kitchen counter.
    •    Your patented four-finger style of typing.
    •    The flick in your wrist that sent the "caramel apple" on another path to the bowling pins.
    •    The telltale cast of a known lefty trying to use a right-handed fishing pole.
    •    The fuzzy gray whiskers found on your face after another Argonne deer hunt.
    •    The "sentry-like" stance, gun at your shoulder, belly out, as you waited to walk to the duck blind.
    •    The taste of antelope roast.
    •    The way you wiped your whole face with one hand, on a hot summer's day, as you labored on another household project.
    •    The scar above your slightly raised right eyebrow from your rifle scope.
    •    Your smile.
    •    The lightning-fast speed in your golf stroke.
    •    Your delicate attention to putting.
    •    Seeing you on the edge of your boat seat, leaned slightly forward, waiting for the next "mop squeezer" to sink your bobber.
    •    The thinned gray hair on your head.
    •    The cards and "gossip" mail you always sent.
    •    The surprise phone calls "just because."
    •    The healthy tan of your well-rested face after a Florida's winter.
    •    The distract drawl of "Hello, Harps" as you answered the phone.
    •    The last time you said, "I love you, Marty.'
  
--Marty
 
 
My Dad

"My Dad got his limit of ducks yesterday."

Well, my Dad described the beauty of the sport for all to enjoy and got a few along the way.
 
"My Dad took me out to eat."

My Dad spent the afternoon with me and showed me how to make a "gourmet meal" of loose hamburger and peas and homemade bread.
 
"My Dad told me how to..."

My Dad gave me confidence in myself and let me figure it out for myself (while nudging me in the right direction).

He is the unexpected combination of strength and sensitivity. He is adept with a pen, a rod, a gun or a golf club. He is accomplished, but yet humble. He is articulate but knows the power of silence.

"My Dad is the greatest Dad in the world."

No, mine is.
 
--Matt
 
 
Memories of My Dad

I have countless memories of special times with my Dad. Some of the most special are weekends at Argonne. With my Dad and my brothers, opening weekend was always a father-and-son male-bonding weekend.

Duck hunting: I recently got into duck hunting and asked him strategies and secrets. His knowledge improved my season 10-fold.

Fishing on Poygan: I enjoyed numerous days of fishing with my Morn and Dad and my son, Garret. We always managed to catch something. But just being out there with them was all the fun.

My Dad was a true sportsman in every sense of the word. I have many memories of our time together and I will cherish them all.

Thanks, Dad.
 
--Mark
 
  
    ——––––––––––——––––––––––——––––––––––——––––––––––
                                               "UNCLE JIM"

Everyone should have an Uncle Jim. I'm so very glad we were blessed to call Jim Harp. "Our Uncle".

I've never known a calmer spirit, than that of Uncle Jim's. It seems this sports writer should have been a weatherman, since he, in such a relaxed manner, "weathered any Storm"

There was such a contentment, which our Uncle Jim exemplified.
A true example of a man at Peace he was.

In the past few weeks...

In just the few short recent weeks, as our concentrated prayers were being lifted up for Uncle Jim, Aunt Barb and all our Harp cousins, I came across a "church message" Along road sides, on parish message boards, I love reading little scriptures. This one read, GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED IN US - WHEN WE ARE SATISFIED IN HIM. I grabbed that take home message to my heart, God in us! We in Him!

Uncle Jim was the first person that came to my mind... as being "a person satisfied." I couldn't think of a more satisfied person in life than our sweet Uncle Jim.

I believe having a contented head, a satisfied spirit, gives you a beautiful freedom to laugh. No one could top Uncle Jims' smile, and no one could make my father, Jim VanCamp, laugh the loudest on our Peninsula State Park bonding vacations, than Jim Harp. I can hear the "two Jims" now. Gut wrenching laughter with tears in their eyes. One "Single Shot" of Uncle Jim put music to our souls.

I know I will never be able to journey to Door County without Uncle Jim's spirit of satisfaction and laughter to highlight my visits to God's country.

I'll always know, Uncle Jim is there, just a little further North. Up in Gods country.

"Well done"... Uncle Jim."

"Well done"...that's how you liked your steak and eggs, Uncle Jim "Well done"...the first two words, I'm sure God whispered in your ears.

"Well done, my good and faithful servant"

"Well done"...the words we live our lives to hear our Savior speak to us "Well done     Uncle Jim"... you're definitely with Jesus in all his glory. ^{[Lauri VanCamp Merli]}

• Cemetery: St Paul's Catholic Cemetery, 23 May 2001, Combined Locks, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁹  
 
On Wednesday, May 23, 2001, visitation will continue from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. with Fr. Bob Vandenberg officiating. Inurnment will be in St. Paul Cemetery, Combined Locks, next to his daughter Margaret.

• Obituary: Appleton Post-Crescent - Outdoors, 27 May 2001, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ²¹
Outdoors
^{Roger Pitt
Post Crescent outdoors editor}

HARP'S KEY TO OUTDOORS WAS PEOPLE

Jim Harp was at home in the solitude of a duck blind or the din of a room filled with people gathered around a piano.

He died of cancer last week. He was 69.

For 38 years, he wrote for The Post-Crescent, retiring in 1992. For most of his career, he was the outdoors writer for this newspaper and a member of its sports department.

I worked with Jim for more than 30 years, the last 20 as a collaborator in the outdoors section. We planned the coverage, he wrote stories and took pictures, and I designed and edited the pages.

Our desks were next to each other. We shared a love for the outdoors. Most of all, we enjoyed each other's company. We also shared a sense of humor, sometimes off-the-wall. We believed work should be fun.

I often kidded him about his brood of eight. The girls would come to the office, smile and wheedle and walk away with a few dollars to go shopping. The phone would ring, and Jim would referee a fight at home involving the boys.

He laughed about being an easy touch.

Jim loved to laugh. He was warm and outgoing. He cared about people, and it showed. His friendships were lifelong. Like a good hunting dog, he was loyal and faithful.

He penned his column under the heading "Single Shot." Even though he has not written for this newspaper for nearly a decade, readers often inquired about Jim.

His was a personal journalism.

Through his column, we got to know the "Little Woman," Barb, his love of 50 years. We met his the family of eight kids and friends with the unusual nicknames Photo, Quack, Ivo, Barney, Trippy, Cease and Grape.

Harp never revealed his nickname.

"We called him 'Digger,'" Gerald "Photo" Vander Loop said.

Jim Peerenboom, Ivo Van Handel, Harold Evers, Roger Vanden Heuvel, Cyril Van Zeeland and Rich Grapentine became familiar as we read about their escapades in the outdoors.

At Little Chute's St. John Elementary School and St. John High School in the 1940s and '50s they formed friendships that endured 60 years. And they were not above a little mischief at each other's expense.

They shared a place called Shangri-lodge in northern Wisconsin. It was obvious to even the casual reader that this was a special place, where friendships meant more than anything.

Jim tried to impart the message to the reader that it was not the success of a hunt or fishing trip that mattered, but who you were with at the time.

"We often rode together on the way to Shangri-lodge," Vander Loop said. "We talked a lot. They were all fun times. Jim was always happy go lucky. I never remember him getting angry."

A memorial fund has been established to help handicapped people enjoy the outdoors.

That was Jim. He believed in sharing. He believed that the outdoors was for everyone to enjoy.

Jim's trophies were not antlers or fish on a wall. His trophies were the many people he embraced as friends.

• Obituary: Appleton Post-Crescent, 10 Jun 2001, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ²²
Life & Other Stuff:
Colleague's best catches came with humor and friendship
^{By Tom Richards}

For years, my desk at The Post-Crescent faced that of Jim Harp. This was in the days before cubicles became fashionable. It was possible then to communicate with co-workers without standing on your toe tips.

That made it a pleasure and a privilege to share space with Jim. And it makes it very sad that three weeks ago, he died at the age of 69.

It is easy to say a lot of good things about Jim Harp. He was a good person, and that is no small claim to fame. Unlike many of the rest of us in this line of work, he was not vulgar, profane or blasphemous. At the same time, he was not judgmental.

He was as honorable an outdoorsman as I ever have known. I never once heard him boast of his accomplishments, never once heard of him taking more than his share. He never lusted for the kill.

In fact, it was something of an office joke. His reports of excursions into the wild as outdoor editor often said that he returned home "happy but empty-handed." We teased him that this meant "skunked but drunk."

Though I am not by any stretch an outdoorsman myself, on a couple of occasions I went fishing with him. We didn't catch much, but we had a good time. Happy, but empty-handed. Not drunk. Just a pleasure.

Also, there was nothing elitist about his love of the outdoors and his reporting on the subject. I think that many readers saw and appreciated this. To him, a cane pole, bobber and a gob of nightcrawlers were just as much fishing as the most sophisticated, high-tech sort of angling. Maybe more.

He loved to laugh and to make other people laugh, and that certainly endeared him to me.

Ultimately, in fact, I think it was Jim's sense of humor that made me most fond of him. There was something wide-eyed and innocent about him and about his humor. Not foolish or stupid. But innocent.

He and his wife, Barb, managed to raise their eight children, he said on more than one occasion, by feeding them "wiener-water soup." That's the fluid that's left after you cook hotdogs.

It wasn't true, of course. There were fish and venison in the freezer.

He would, on occasion, say things virtually out of a clear blue sky that were sort of half nonsensical, the kind of things that sound as though there really was some substance to them.

"It's like my ma used to say, all around a pig's tail is pork," he said one day, and he grinned that Harp grin. I never did figure out just what the hell he was saying, but I loved it.

Almost everybody who knew Jim Harp, and that was a lot of people, had heard him sing. He was not exactly a crooner, but his renditions of "Lucille" and especially "Please Release Me" were without parallel. They made you smile and laugh and in the very best sense of the term, they were entertainment. At any gathering, friends looked forward to hearing Jim sing. I can hear it in my head now.

Most of all, though, I think I will miss Jim Harp as the best partner in a comedy team that anyone could have. He and I did the same routine more times than I can count. If we both were present, we did it. People who knew us would groan when we started, then laugh in spite of themselves. So would Jim and I.

It was one of the shortest routines in comedy history, and it was pure Harp. I was his straight man. It was an honor to play that role. I no longer have any idea how we started doing it, but it goes back at least 25 years. It went like this:

RICHARDS: Hey, Jim, you goin' fishin'?
HARP: Yep.
RICHARDS: You got worms?
HARP: Yep, but I'm goin' anyway.

Just as "Who's on First" could not exist without either Abbott or Costello, so this dies with Jim Harp. I will never say it again. I couldn't. And that makes me sad.

• Publication: Appleton Post-Crescent, 19 Apr 2003, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ²³
Little Chute parks branching out
Van Lieshout, Island park plans call for wider array of uses
^{By Angie Gaspar
Current staff writer}

LITTLE CHUTE - Little Chute is moving ahead with plans to enhance two parks, increasing their appeal to a wider range of village residents.
Most of the work will be done at Van Lieshout Park, while a donation from the family of a longtime village resident will add a special touch at Island Park…

Meanwhile, plans for installation of a handicapped-accessible fishing wharf at Island Park, 100 Monroe St., started with a donation from the family of the late Jim Harp, a reporter and outdoors writer for The Post- Crescent for 30 years.
The estimated cost of the wharf is $32,000, about half of which could be covered by state or federal matching funds.

"Right now we can't get wheelchairs close to the water," said Flick. "The person that will be impacted the most will be anyone with handicaps or disabilities, but it will benefit anyone that uses Island Park."

The proposed wharf design calls for a 6-foot wide, 90-foot long structure that extends into the Fox River for water access and fishing.
Radtke Contractors Inc., Winneconne, designed the wharf.
Harp, an outdoor enthusiast, used a wheelchair late in his life. His family thought helping people enjoy the outdoors in a similar situation was important, Flick said.

• Memorial: Appleton Post_Crescent, 23 Apr 2003, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. ²⁴
Memorial to a good friend, Jim Harp, most fitting
^{By Roger Pitt
Heart of the Valley bureau chief}

To his boyhood and lifelong friends Quack, Photo, Cease and Preacher, among others, growing up in Little Chute he was occasionally known as Digger, but to long-time readers of The Post-Crescent outdoors pages, he was known as Single Shot.

To me, the late Jim Harp was a special friend and colleague of more than 30 years. My memories of him were kindled as his family and hometown collaborate on a fitting memorial - construction of a fishing pier for handicapped people on the Fox River.

The picture of Jim Harp is clear in my mind. I saw it many times in the sports department after listening to his daughters charm him out of money to go shopping, or after he had gotten off the phone with the boys, warning them to quit fighting or war was inevitable when he got home.

Jim would not say a word afterward. He would sit back with a big grin, his thumbs in his suspenders, knowing that the kids knew he was a soft touch.
I can see that same smile now as his family - his wife Barb and the kids Mary, Michael, Marcy, Maureen, Marty, Matthew and Mark - work with Little Chute officials on a memorial so fitting for him.

"I think he would be pleased," Barb said. "We had to do something worthy of Jim. The outdoors meant so much to him. Kids were so important to him. Helping other people was so important to him."

"It was important that young people be given a chance to experience the outdoors. He was an early advocate of the 'Hooked on Fishing' program for kids," Mary said.
Little Chute is the right place. It is where he grew up and where he raised his family.
Island Park has its own special significance to the Harp family.

"I was pestering dad one day to take me fishing," Matt remembered.

"He was pretty busy but finally said he would. I was looking forward to going to Winnebago or someplace. Instead he took me a few blocks down the street to the Fox River. I felt ripped off, but it turned out to be a great day, a great learning experience. He said he spent a lot of time fishing there when he was a kid. We caught some perch and crappies and a carp. It turned out to be a great fishing trip. It opened my eyes to just how good a fishing area the Fox River could be."
Matt said the pier is in about the same spot as that memorable fishing trip.
The fact the pier or wharf will cater to handicapped people is also appropriate. Battling diabetes much of his later life, Jim found it difficult to get around, and thoughts of how to make those things he loved, like fishing and hunting, more accessible to more people were on his mind.

This project is possible because of all the memorials from the many people who loved her dad, Mary said.

"His hunting lodge buddies at Shangri-Lodge made donations. A lot of younger people don't remember Jim Harp, but he was a special person," said George "Photo" Vanderloop.

The cost of the 6-foot wide, 90-foot long fishing wharf is estimated at $32,000. Half of it is covered by the memorials. The village has applied for state Department of Natural Resources funds for shoreline fishing and handicapped fishing grants to cover the other half.

"The family added some money but most of it was from a community of friends he made through the years. We hope that everybody can come and see what they did when it is completed," Mary said.

Jim has good reason to have that satisfied look on his face as he looks down with Peter, the Great Fisherman, and sees what his family, hometown and all of his friends are up to.

The pier reflects his love for the outdoors, and the fact it is designed for the handicapped reflects his love and concern for others.

• Letter: Jim Harp Memorial Wharf, 13 May 2004, Little Chute, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. ²⁵  
The wharf is a great spot! I cried as I walked through the park. It is so different than when it was the dump and the field of grub worm pods, but I was right back to being a little girl walking through the tall grass and the treasures we might find. I think it was usually a Saturday outing when Mom was cleaning or catching up on laundry and she told Dad to take us out and get the stink blown off of us (at the dump???). I hope we can sit out there together on a warm sunny day sometime soon.

After I walked along the pier and took the pictures, I climbed down the big rocks to the water, remembering being told so many times not to go on the rocks by the river (right Reen?). But I had to because I thought I might find a lucky stone. Within 35 seconds I had a big, white, clean stone in my hand. I'm not sure who put it there, God, Grandpa or Dad. Whoever it was made me cry.

It'll be a great place for many.
 
Marcy

James married Barbara Jean Scherer, daughter of John Howard Scherer and Laura Marie Pfiester, on 26 Dec 1953 in Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. (Barbara Jean Scherer was born on 04 Oct 1932 in Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA,¹⁶ died on 30 Jun 2005 in Neenah, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA ²⁶ and was buried on 05 Jul 2005 in Combined Locks, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA ^{27 28}.) The cause of her death was automobile accident.⁷

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Publication: the Waterloo Courier, 21 Mar 2001, Waterloo, Black Hawk, Iowa, USA.
HELPING HANDS
The needs are many and volunteers
open their hearts to lend help

^{By LISA SMITH
Courier Staff Writer}

PACORA, NICARAGUA

Few things are more humbling than digging someone else's latrine.
On a recent work trip to Nicaragua, I grabbed a worn pickax and jumped into the four-foot-deep hole. I plunged the tool into dusty soil and it sang with a metallic clink as it collided with never-ending rocks.

My new Nicaraguan friends took my place when I grew weary. Soon I would return to my life of e-mail, electricity and flush toilets. But work will continue for the people of Pacora, struggling to rebuild lives and homes demolished by Hurricane Mitch almost a year and a half ago.

I was in Nicaragua for a week to learn and work, but more importantly, to show solidarity for people who continue to toil long after international interest in the devastation has waned. I also glimpsed a nation scarred by war with U.S.-funded Contras in the 1980s.

"They are people who know how to struggle and people who know how to survive," said Aynn Setwright, a U.S. expatriate who leads orientation for college students visiting Nicaragua.

I landed in Managua, Nicaragua, with other 15 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Most are communicators for the ELCA. We came from nine different states and ranged in age from 23 to 68. Most of us didn't know each other, but that quickly changed as we lived and worked together.

Our Nicaraguan hosts are staff of a nongovernmental organization, the Council of Evangelical Churches of Nicaragua (CEPAD), founded in 1972. CEPAD uses a community development model to help Nicaraguans, working with community leaders to decide what is needed.

Needs can seem overwhelming. CEPAD has built 1,200 homes in the last two years but 400,000 more are needed, according to Hilberto Aguirre, CEPAD's executive director.

CEPAD builds homes on a model similar to Habitat for Humanity. Homeowners must pay for half of the materials cost or roughly $1,500. Owners share in the labor and pay back the cost over a five-year period, with an initial one-year grace period. Each cement block home is 20-by-20-feet. Villagers must mix cement and hand-make each of the 1,200 blocks per house.

CEPAD staff said their development model teaches villagers technical skills and fosters autonomy.

"We don't want to give them fish, we want to teach them how to catch the fish," said Esterbin Gutierrez, a CEPAD worker who served as one of our translators.

Gutierrez appeared for work one day in a yellow Hy-Vee T-shirt, and I learned the Nicaraguan received his bachelor of arts in food science degree from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant.

Working alongside the people of Pacora was one of the best parts of the trip. After orientation in Managua, we arrived at the rural village via a dusty road, in the bed of a Diahatsu truck.

In seconds, we were surrounded by women bouncing babies on their hips, waiting to hug and kiss our cheeks in a gesture of welcome. Though I don't speak Spanish, it's amazing how much a few simple phrases and smiles can communicate.
 
We lived simply, eating a staple diet of rice, beans and succulent fruits like papaya and mangoes. We slept on cots in a cement block home and showered in a tarped stall, using a bucket and a dipper. Each morning we were awakened by crowing roosters (who thought the sun rose at 2 a.m.) and grunting pigs outside our door.

The daily physical labor was intense. While other groups hauled cement blocks, mixed cement and delivered lumber for roofing, Gregorio Ordonez, one of Pacora's leaders, helped my group dig the latrine. Ordonez, 55, knew how to make the pickax grab the biggest chunks of rocky soil, and he could labor twice as long as the toughest member of our group.

It was Ordonez's rough hands that brought music to our evenings. He sang haunting ballads of Nicaraguan pride, tender hymns and rousing war anthems as he gently plucked guitar strings.

Ordonez said he sings some songs for God and some for the Sandinistas.
The Sandinistas were practically a household name in 1980s, as were the opposition force, the Contras.

More than 50,000 Nicaraguans died during that decade. The violence ended when a new president, Violeta Chamorro, was elected in 1990. She brought peace to the ravaged land but slashed Sandinista educational and social programs, hoping the private sector would pick up the slack.

They have not.

CEPAD's Aguirre said about 70 percent of Nicaraguans are unemployed and one million children cannot afford public school. Many Pacora residents are able to pay the $1.50 per month for school, but classes only last through the sixth grade.

As Nicaragua struggled to recover from war and pay off a $6 billion national debt, the country was struck by Mitch, one of the most devastating hurricanes of the 20th century. More than 5,000 Nicaraguans died in floods and landslides in a land eroded by de-forestation.

Mitch "ripped the mask off the poverty of Nicaragua. People didn't really know how bad off Nicaragua was," Setwright said.

Ordonez and his wife, Mercedes, cannot forget Mitch. Gregorio recalls the date immediately: Oct. 27, 1998. As the Pacora River began to swell, Gregorio and his son, Saul, now 16, ran to the water's edge to look for their cattle. Already, the water was up to Gregorio's chest. In the end, the cattle saved father and son, who clung to the beasts' tails as the cattle swam to safety.

Gregorio's home was only 100 meters from the river, so he piled his possessions on top of the house and rushed his family to another village house upstream. It was hard to sleep that night, the couple recalled, as the earth seemed to tremble with the pounding rain and the thud of falling trees.

The next morning, villagers wailed and screamed as they discovered families lost and houses destroyed. Gregorio's house was crushed when a tree fell on it. He lost everything, including 60 chickens and several cows.

Almost 2 1/2 years later, Mercedes and Gregorio have a new house and hope for the future. Gregorio told us he hopes all his children can go to school and have a better life.

Leaving Pacora was difficult.

The day we left, I received five letters from women in the village. Each, except one, was a request for money. CEPAD encourages North Americans to give money through agencies, rather than to individuals to avoid the "Santa Claus" image of U.S. citizens, so I didn't respond.

Mercedes cried when our white Diahatsu pulled away from Pacora for the last time.

"Even though you are going very far from this community, you will still be there. This is your home and will always be open to you," she said, opening her arms as if to embrace us.

Some members of our group also cried, but most remained silent. Our presence may have been a step forward, but Pacora has a long walk ahead.

  Marriage Notes:

Jim and I met when we were in high school in Little Chute. We were in the same grade, the same class. We got together for the senior prom when his date had a ruptured appendix. My date didn't develop. (I was waiting for someone to ask me but he decided he was not going… with anyone.) Months later we made a date - in front of our other dates we were with ­ to go fishing on Lake Winnebego. We have been a twosome ever since. We were married three years later. We had what Jim describes as a "severe case of hyper-fertility." He only thought about it a couple of times and I was pregnant. That is a little bit of an exaggeration.

As a family we all pitched in on the laundry, cooking and cleaning. Jim and I both worked but we rarely had baby sitters. In the early years I would work evenings and nights so Jim would come home and I would go to work. On those weekends which I didn't work and Jim didn't work, about every third weekend, we took the kids and hit the outdoors for camping and fishing. We all have been very outdoor oriented. We are still very close knit. When Margaret went into the service the girls decided that there was a Mothers Day and a Fathers Day and that they wanted to have a Sisters Day. They chose the first day of September as Sisters Day and they would send each other gifts and talk to each other on the telephone, even when Margaret was in Italy or other places all over the world.

The boys are a bit more divided in that Michael is 8 years older than the next of the other three boys so their closeness is not quite the same. We all do get together very often. [Barbara Scherer Harp]


<=====>


THE HURRICANE THREW OUR HOUSE IN THE RIVER

Erlinda Orbando Cano wrote these words: "We love you so much because of all your help and support. We have had no where to live since the hurricane threw our house in the river."

Her words were addressed to sixteen communicators from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) who traveled to Nicaragua February 17 - 24, 2001, to assist residents of the village of Pacora in rebuilding their homes destroyed by the flooding which followed Hurricane Mitch in late October, 1998.

Hurricane Mitch was the fourth largest hurricane in the 20th century, but most of the damage in Nicaragua was caused by the continued rains, which followed the hurricane winds. For nearly five days in late October and early November 1998, rain fell at a terrible rate. The normally placid Pacora River overflowed its banks and grew to massive size, taking most of the village homes with it. Pacora village leader Gregorio Ordonez reported that he escaped the hurricane waters by hanging onto the tail of one of his cows, which also escaped the deadly flooding. Twelve of his cows did not escape. Other villagers spoke of surviving for several days hanging by tree limbs, and the nightmares, which continue more than two years later.

CEPAD, the Nicaraguan Council of Protestant Churches, recently began work in Pacora, helping to build 34 new homes for the 56 families who live in the village and surrounding area. The ELCA group worked under CEPAD's supervision and traveled under the auspices of Church World Service and Witness, the relief and development "arm" of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. The ELCA World Hunger Appeal has made a direct gift to Church World Service to support recruiting and placing volunteer teams in Nicaragua for Hurricane Mitch rebuilding work.

Members of the ELCA group, sponsored by the ELCA Department for Communication, included:
Dennis Busse, Martin Luther Homes, Lakewood, Colorado
Madelyn Busse, Rocky Mountain Synod, Denver, Colorado
Kristin Collett, Greater Milwaukee Synod, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nancy Curtis, Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Kane, Pennsylvania
Barbara Harp, Little Chute, Wisconsin
Mary Harp-Jirschele, Aid Association for Lutherans, Appleton, Wisconsin
Kathleen Lemmerbrock, Northwestern Ohio Synod, Findlay, Ohio
Mark Holman, Lutheran Services in America, St. Paul, Minnesota
Tammy Jackson, ELCA Department for Synodical Relations, Chicago, Illinois
Margery Mayes, Grand Canyon Synod, Phoenix, Arizona
Ronald McCallum, Oregon Synod, Cornelius, Oregon
Eric Shafer, ELCA Department for Communication, Chicago, Illinois
Kris Shafer, ELCA Department for Human Resources, Chicago, Illinois
Lisa Smith, Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, Iowa
Marcia Voss, Neenah, Wisconsin
Ana Zantedeschi, Bolingbrook, Illinois

The group lived, ate, and worked in the village of Pacora located on the dirt road which leads to the town of San Francisco Libre. Most village families have been homeless since the October 1998 hurricane, living, often with two or three families together, in temporary housing since that time. Now, with help of building materials and expertise provided by CEPAD, they are beginning to build new cinder block homes for their families. Each family pays for half of the building materials. CEPAD, supported by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, pays for the other half and provides the foreman to supervise construction. Families have five years to pay their half with the first year as a grace period. The new homes are built on higher ground than their flood-destroyed homes, away from the Pacora River.

Nicaragua is said to be the second poorest country (after Haiti) in Central America and the Caribbean. There is nearly 70% unemployment. One million school-age children are not in school, because their families are unable to pay the small monthly school fee. CEPAD has been able to help construct 1,200 homes over the past two years, but the country lacks more than 400,000 homes.

Since there is no work for men in Pacora (many women commute the long distance to Managua for work cooking, cleaning, and babysitting), the men have time to watch the children and work nearly full time constructing their new homes. The ELCA group was present when the first major load of lumber arrived, providing the first sign of a new home for many villagers since the hurricane. (Since there were no funds for gas for the truck to deliver the lumber to home sites, ELCA volunteers provided gas money).

The volunteer work in Pacora is under the direction of the village leaders, Gregorio and Mercedes Ordonez. North American volunteers work side by side and under the leadership of villagers. Three of CEPAD's bilingual Nicaraguan staffers worked with the ELCA group, interpreting and explaining, not only the work together, but also the lives of the Nicaraguan people.

In addition to delivering lumber for new home construction, the ELCA group assisted in a number of other rebuilding activities, making sand to use to make mortar and concrete (throwing gravel against a screen), moving concrete blocks to building sites, mixing mortar and concrete for home construction and digging latrines. Volunteers slept on the floor of two recently completed homes. Drinking water and food safe for fragile North American stomachs came from Managua with the volunteers. Latrines were the only toilet facilities and water for cooking and cleaning was drawn from hand-dug wells in the village. The group had a "bucket" shower and also bathed in the Pacora River. Since this was the dry season, there were often clouds of dust, especially along the road that passed near the village.

CEPAD, with 28 member Protestant Christian churches ranging from Pentecostal to Anglican, has been at work in Nicaragua since the earthquake of 1972. They follow a community development model in their work in local villages, providing technical assistance in agriculture, health, women's empowerment, and education and help with school, latrine and health clinic construction. Decisions guiding CEPAD's work are made by the residents of each community where they work. CEPAD's work in Nicaragua has been supported for many years by Lutheran World Relief (LWR), funds which comes to LWR from the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. (LWR is a relief and development agency supported by the ELCA and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod).

Those who wish to support the work on CEPAD and similar relief and development efforts in many other nations can make a donation to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal through their ELCA congregation or directly to P.O. Box # 71764, Chicago, Illinois 60694-1764. Make checks payable to the "ELCA World Hunger Appeal." Credit card donations can also be made by calling 800-638-3522 or via the World Wide Web at www.elca.org/co/hunger.

Eric C. Shafer
March 10, 2001


<=====>


Last year was my first Valentine's Day without Jim. I was very sad, since to Jim this was a very special day, and thus to me.

At The Post Crescent where he worked, he was known as "Captain Valentine". Each year he had Valentines for every woman who worked there, and for some other special friends of ours, his daughters, and of course, me.

It started out small, a simple card, but some years there was a silk red rose, a crystal sun catcher, a tiny heart pin, etc. Each of these was addressed and hand delivered! This went on for about 10 or 12 years, and the list grew to 250 women. Many of them told me that this Valentine was the only one they ever received. I was so proud of him for his thoughtfulness!

So, as I thought of my loss, I also thought of how many ladies were out there remembering Captain Valentine, and I smiled...

It will be the same every Valentine's Day. ^{29 30 31}