James Wallace Mansfield

Can something good be said about death?
It Separates friends, families and sows pain, grief and sadness.
The Bible says that death is our great enemy.
However, the Bible also gives us hope!
John 5: 28, 29 as well as Acts 24:15; indicate that there will be a resurrection of the just and unjust.
Psalm 37:29 also promises that the righteous will possess the Earth.
Through the pages of the Bible we can acquire knowledge and guidance that help us face the loss of our loved ones…It gives us a sure hope.
Please go to the following link for more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/dead-live-again-tract/dead-live-again

My condolences, as feelings of pain and bitterness become unbearable. It is my desire to convey a comforting thought based on the Holy Scriptures
          
  John 5:28 "Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out."
 
 
This passage speaks of the resurrection of our loved ones. It is not God's plan to see us suffer and die, so He extends the following invitation to us: "Come near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8)
 
Please go to the following link to obtain more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage and again we are sorry for your loss.
 
 http://www.jw.org

My condolences. It is my hope that these words of the Holy Scriptures, prove to be supportive in this difficult and painful time…..

John 11:32-45

32 And so Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping, groaned in the spirit and became troubled; 34 and he said: “Where have YOU laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus gave way to tears. 36 Therefore the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he used to have for him!” 37 But some of them said: “Was not this [man] that opened the eyes of the blind man able to prevent this one from dying?”

38 Hence Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the memorial tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it.39 Jesus said: “TAKE the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it is four days.”40 Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Therefore they took the stone away. Now Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 True, I knew that you always hear me; but on account of the crowd standing around I spoke, in order that they might believe that you sent me forth.” 43 And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Laz´a·rus, come on out!” 44The [man] that had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his countenance was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Loose him and let him go.”

45 Therefore many of the Jews that had come to Mary and that beheld what he did put faith in him;

Please go to the following link for more information regarding the Hope expressed in this passage

http://www.jw.org

When I worked at the Village Hall, Jim would come to visit once and awhile.  We both enjoyed the comedian, Jonathon Winters, and Jim would do an imitation of him doing Maude Fricket.  We would laugh and I enjoyed his great sense of humor.  Jim also had an excellent mind.  He would remember things in the past that I certainly had forgotten.  I was a little younger than him, but appreciated all of his facts and figures he would spout out.  I have since retired from the Village, but certainly agree with Tom Horstmann that the world is less fortunate since his passing.  He will definitely be missed.

Jim was a good friend of mine when he covered Village Hall in Peoria Heights.  He owned the Heights Herald and would write about events in Peoria Heights.  He would come into my office; I was the Village Administrator and we would spend an hour talking about world events, state events and local events.  He was refreshing to talk too and I enjoyed his company. I retired in 2009 but I never forgot Jim Mansfield.  He was one of a kind and the world is a little less fortunate because of his death.  I extend my condolences to Jim's relatives.