| In Loving Memory of 'Cowboy Jim' 8/23/47 ~ 10/23/07 |
| This page is a dedicated to Casey's dad, Jim Morgan, who lost his battle with cancer in 2007. |
Dear Friends & Family: 10/26/07
I would like to sincerely thank all of you for your un-ending concern and support for my dad.
This has been clearly evident since the call for help went out. The kindness and generosity you
displayed when we organized the benefit back in March has carried on throughout these last several
months. I wish to thank all those who made my dad’s last summer as memorable as it could be.
This was a long, hard journey for him, but I myself have learned much along the way. I can verify
that a true friend is coming in through the door when anyone else would be going out.
I’ve learned many useful things from my dad over the years: he taught me how to think like a
horse, how to drive a stick shift & back up a horse trailer; I learned the fine art of driving a truck
with no brakes, and when one did have brakes, I learned how to brake with my left foot, while
keeping the truck running with my right, usually while trying to shift into neutral and use my arm as
a turn signal! He also taught me values: the value of not only having friends but the importance of
being a friend. He taught me that a handshake is as good as a written contract. Mostly I learned
about the true man my dad was, his true character.
Most wouldn’t describe my dad as a dignified man, but he faced this battle for his life with nothing
but dignity & grace. I am now more than ever amazed and impressed with his character, I can only
hope that I inherited some of his genuine qualities and can imitate his example. I see now he was a
very generous man, this quality seemed to come so easily to him where most people need to
cultivate it.
You may not say that my dad set a good example, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Those of us who traveled closely alongside him these last several months know firsthand exactly
how well he handled himself and those who cared for him, right up until the moment he drew his
last breath. He was within an hour of his death when he agreed to be moved to Hospice only for the
comfort of his family, not for his own comfort.
My dad used to say “I’m the richest person in the world!” Until recently, I did not have a full
understanding of what he meant. I see now he was referring not to the things seen, material
possessions and money, but rather to the things unseen: love, friendship & loyalty. When you
receive these things as freely & abundantly as my dad did, you can see how rich he felt. He gave
these things just as freely, he was the type of person who made everyone feel welcome, comfortable
& important. He could make anyone feel like a king for a day.
Thank you for being a part of our lives.
He was loved by many and will be missed by all…
Love,
Casey
I would like to sincerely thank all of you for your un-ending concern and support for my dad.
This has been clearly evident since the call for help went out. The kindness and generosity you
displayed when we organized the benefit back in March has carried on throughout these last several
months. I wish to thank all those who made my dad’s last summer as memorable as it could be.
This was a long, hard journey for him, but I myself have learned much along the way. I can verify
that a true friend is coming in through the door when anyone else would be going out.
I’ve learned many useful things from my dad over the years: he taught me how to think like a
horse, how to drive a stick shift & back up a horse trailer; I learned the fine art of driving a truck
with no brakes, and when one did have brakes, I learned how to brake with my left foot, while
keeping the truck running with my right, usually while trying to shift into neutral and use my arm as
a turn signal! He also taught me values: the value of not only having friends but the importance of
being a friend. He taught me that a handshake is as good as a written contract. Mostly I learned
about the true man my dad was, his true character.
Most wouldn’t describe my dad as a dignified man, but he faced this battle for his life with nothing
but dignity & grace. I am now more than ever amazed and impressed with his character, I can only
hope that I inherited some of his genuine qualities and can imitate his example. I see now he was a
very generous man, this quality seemed to come so easily to him where most people need to
cultivate it.
You may not say that my dad set a good example, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Those of us who traveled closely alongside him these last several months know firsthand exactly
how well he handled himself and those who cared for him, right up until the moment he drew his
last breath. He was within an hour of his death when he agreed to be moved to Hospice only for the
comfort of his family, not for his own comfort.
My dad used to say “I’m the richest person in the world!” Until recently, I did not have a full
understanding of what he meant. I see now he was referring not to the things seen, material
possessions and money, but rather to the things unseen: love, friendship & loyalty. When you
receive these things as freely & abundantly as my dad did, you can see how rich he felt. He gave
these things just as freely, he was the type of person who made everyone feel welcome, comfortable
& important. He could make anyone feel like a king for a day.
Thank you for being a part of our lives.
He was loved by many and will be missed by all…
Love,
Casey
To all who knew and loved Jim Morgan:
Please enjoy this page of happy memories of Jim.
If you have a picture, funny story or 'remember
when' to contribute, please send it to us!
Below is a letter I wrote shortly after his passing
to thank my friends & family for their care &
support.
Please remember Jim with laughter and happiness,
just as he would have it. We can learn much from
Jim: live simple, laugh often, be honest and value
your friends & family.
Love,
Ken & Casey
Please enjoy this page of happy memories of Jim.
If you have a picture, funny story or 'remember
when' to contribute, please send it to us!
Below is a letter I wrote shortly after his passing
to thank my friends & family for their care &
support.
Please remember Jim with laughter and happiness,
just as he would have it. We can learn much from
Jim: live simple, laugh often, be honest and value
your friends & family.
Love,
Ken & Casey
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| 'Cowboy Jim' photo taken 9/22/04 |
| Pictures from the benefit held on March 10, 2007. This was before things got rolling because we estimated that over 600 people attended in support of Jim that day! |
"I met Jim Morgan over 25 years ago. We would both be attending the Middlefield Sale Barn to watch the livestock sell on
Mondays. We were both in the pony ride and horse breaking business. I usually brought my older friend, Wady Brewster, with me.
Wady was shy and not apt to talk to unknown people. Jim would always come up and make conversation with the old man. He would
force him to have some french fries or a hamburger.
As Jim & I came to know each other better, we helped one another in various ways. He once allowed me to dress him up in a
nutty Santa Claus suit for a rich person's Christmas eve party. We borrowed the sleigh, the driving horse and the Santa suit. He had
both the children & the adults roaring with laughter with his zany Santa impressions all night. We were out there for 4-5 hours and it
was about 10 degrees outside with a blowing snowfall.
Another time, I needed to load three super wild Angus bulls. Wady, another buddy and I made three attempts to loads these
bovines. We went away after hours of failure. I knew the man to call. Jim assured me that it would be no problem at all. Yeah, I
thought, we'll see about that! He asked me to come and pick up him and his favorite horse, Rusty. When we got to the farm he
mounted up, chased the bulls down, roped them and drug them one by one onto my trailer, all this without ever even dismounting! It
took him all of 30 minutes. I was blubbering thanks and he just chuckled and patted me on the top of my head!
When I needed a hand in medicating or breaking my zebras or camels, he was always game. He taught me several roping
techniques which I still use to this day. Camel spit or zebra feet flying were never a worry.
Jim accompanied me and a friend to an exotic animal zoo sale in Macon, Missouri a few years ago. He purchased a mini donkey
for Casey's father-in-law. We had a fun time listening to all his equine experiences. He got a little irritated with me, however, when I
made him go outside to smoke those darned little cigars.
Jim Morgan was a good, honest man who helped many people over the years. I never knew him to turn a friend or stranger down
when they needed his help. He loved people, animals and, most of all, his wonderful daughter, Casey."
Lisa Hanusosky
Madison, Ohio
October, 2008
Mondays. We were both in the pony ride and horse breaking business. I usually brought my older friend, Wady Brewster, with me.
Wady was shy and not apt to talk to unknown people. Jim would always come up and make conversation with the old man. He would
force him to have some french fries or a hamburger.
As Jim & I came to know each other better, we helped one another in various ways. He once allowed me to dress him up in a
nutty Santa Claus suit for a rich person's Christmas eve party. We borrowed the sleigh, the driving horse and the Santa suit. He had
both the children & the adults roaring with laughter with his zany Santa impressions all night. We were out there for 4-5 hours and it
was about 10 degrees outside with a blowing snowfall.
Another time, I needed to load three super wild Angus bulls. Wady, another buddy and I made three attempts to loads these
bovines. We went away after hours of failure. I knew the man to call. Jim assured me that it would be no problem at all. Yeah, I
thought, we'll see about that! He asked me to come and pick up him and his favorite horse, Rusty. When we got to the farm he
mounted up, chased the bulls down, roped them and drug them one by one onto my trailer, all this without ever even dismounting! It
took him all of 30 minutes. I was blubbering thanks and he just chuckled and patted me on the top of my head!
When I needed a hand in medicating or breaking my zebras or camels, he was always game. He taught me several roping
techniques which I still use to this day. Camel spit or zebra feet flying were never a worry.
Jim accompanied me and a friend to an exotic animal zoo sale in Macon, Missouri a few years ago. He purchased a mini donkey
for Casey's father-in-law. We had a fun time listening to all his equine experiences. He got a little irritated with me, however, when I
made him go outside to smoke those darned little cigars.
Jim Morgan was a good, honest man who helped many people over the years. I never knew him to turn a friend or stranger down
when they needed his help. He loved people, animals and, most of all, his wonderful daughter, Casey."
Lisa Hanusosky
Madison, Ohio
October, 2008
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The World According To Jim
Life is simply a ride from one place to another,
A means to travel through this world and not smother.
Each of us tend to view the world differently,
Cowboy Jim did this like no one else as you'll see.
If you need it explained, you've never met him,
This is a true story of the world according to Jim.
Jim's ride began in '47 as a newborn baby boy,
For Jim & Eileen Morgan he meant nothing but joy.
Before long they realized they had their hands full,
Little Jimmy was nothing but your typical bull.
The story of Cowboy Jim is fun to be told,
After God made him, He then broke the mold.
To Jim being a cowboy was truly innate,
He was certainly born a hundred years too late.
He thought he was a horse from the time he could talk,
On hands & feet he would run, he'd rather not walk.
The little kids rode on his back as they grinned,
He loped around with them, free as the wind.
No need to exercise at the gym,
This was the world according to Jim.
He spent time in Vietnam during the war,
He was gone for three years, it seemed to be more.
While there he learned about being a true friend,
And how you never know when your own life may end.
He would tell me solemnly “Case, war is hell.”
Not many stories from that time would he tell.
The eldest of ten children, it was a good lot in life.
He was a brother, a father & husband to one wife.
He wed a gal in '71, Deb was her name,
They soon had a child, fanning the flame.
Deb was his first love, beautiful and slim,
This was the world according to Jim.
They settled in Montville on a dusty dirt road,
Named the place Rusty Hinge Ranch, t'was a humble abode.
His children came along, named Casey & Michele,
Two things he owned outright and never would sell.
My trail crossed his in '72, where I joined in his race,
While growing up on the Ranch, I followed his pace.
Although I didn't grow up to be proper and prim,
This was the world according to Jim.
The Ranch was his own little piece of the west,
Though I didn't know it, I really was blessed.
As I grew older, we rode side by
side,
This time in my life I would not be denied.
Then he'd let me lead, urging as any father would,
He wasn't the best model but he did all he could.
He taught me about life & to share all we had,
There were many good things I learned from my dad.
It has been said that he lived in his own little world,
Anyone else in his position would have come unfurled.
You might go home with bruises or a broken limb,
This was the world according to Jim.
A visit to the Ranch was a trip back in time,
No microwave oven but on a horse you could climb.
Each morning at the Ranch would start the same way,
Instant coffee straight from the tap, he'd plan out the day.
While watching Bonanza and talking on the phone,
All this he'd accomplish while sitting on the throne!
If the table was rockin' he'd make up a shim,
This was the world according to Jim.
Weekday mornings he spent watching Ben Cartwright,
No greater man was there in Jim's eyesight.
Then there was shuffling cards for solitaire,
Or falling asleep by the fire on the couch or chair.
The evenings we'd watch MASH, play Rummy & eat,
He was a good sport 'cause he often got beat.
We ate Banquet chicken & Cheezits & fries,
Or maybe spaghetti or chicken potpies.
Then Sunday mornings to church for a hymn,
This was the world according to Jim.
He often did things without planning them through,
I credit that mostly to way too much brew.
“Let's go to the sale & then ride horses to the bar.
We can't get pulled over if we're not in a car!”
He bought the cheapest beer, it was Milwaukee's Best,
Jim tried out many ways of avoiding arrest.
Stashed in his truck were tic tacs, Old Spice & Big Red,
He'd use his one phone call to make sure the horses got fed.
He still spent some quality time in jail,
We hoped & prayed, but all this to no avail.
Most would find these circumstances quite grim,
But this was the world according to Jim.
A marathon of Tarzan would last the day long,
Then we'd sit around the campfire sharing a song.
We sat mesmerized during The Reverend Mr. Black,
With everyone present he'd share his twelve pack.
Then I'd ask him to sing The Farmer & The Lord,
If you liked simplicity, you wouldn't be
bored.
Somewhere in the midst of it a horse needs a trim,
This was the world according to Jim.
All those in Montville knew him by first name,
If there was a loose horse, Jim got the blame.
The neighbors were either full of love or hate,
Jim would hitch the team then go spread manure late.
His dog, Coke, was sure to run in their yard,
Most wanted to see him feathered and tarred.
They'd run out screaming all the way to the road,
He'd smile & wish them well, glad tidings bestowed.
He would cock his hat, just touching the brim,
This was the world according to Jim.
Driving his truck could be an all day ordeal,
If you had a driver's license, you got the wheel.
He'd say “Don't use the brakes, just downshift & coast.”
We knew not to argue, we'd just make the most.
If he ran short on money, he'd just write a check,
Didn't matter if he had the cash, “Oh, what the heck!”
He did many things on a fluttering whim,
But that was the world according to Jim.
Jim could make a buck in so many ways,
Doing pony rides would make for long days.
Always a free ride for the sick or the old,
The joy he gave to them he got back tenfold.
If you came out to the Ranch to rent a horse for the trail,
He'd try to sell it to you 'cause everything's for sale.
How about a late night camp fire or swim?
This was the world according to Jim.
You could also go on a midnight hayride,
Most city folks feared they were being shanghaied.
He worked hard shoeing horses & had a bad back,
He'd work when he could, then go buy a twelve pack.
This life had its drawbacks, he was usually broke,
But he made sure he had his beer and cigars to smoke.
For any other person, the outlook was dim,
But this was the world according to Jim.
Larry urged “C'mon, Jim, join us in the race!”
Jim wasn't ready to keep up that pace.
He figured if he hired out, the taxes would rob,
He found the cure for sure, he didn't have a job!
Jim wasn't what you would call fat & lazy,
But rather showed signs of being plain crazy.
He said “You cannot get blood from a stone.”
That's why he spent most of his life all
alone.
He seemed to find a way just to skim,
This was the world according to Jim.
His truck would break down alongside the road,
Without hesitation, his horse he'd unload.
Turn on the four ways, fill the saddlebags with beer,
Grab the dog then leave a note on the mirror.
Ride away with a .357 on his hip,
You would think twice before giving him lip.
If he got a flat tire, he'd just drive on the rim,
This was the world according to Jim.
Jim played many roles while living in this world,
A son, brother, soldier, father; his life whirled.
A husband, a teacher & surely a friend,
But he was far from perfect, so let's not pretend.
Cowboy Jim lived in this world sixty years,
His passing brought friends & family to tears.
Now his life's been reduced to some boxes getting dusty,
And one old sorrel horse, he called his name Rusty.
But what's left behind doesn't measure a man's true worth,
It's what he does as he rides from the day of his birth.
Even though he's already rode his last mile,
If we try for a moment, we'll find reason to smile.
When we think of Jim, we laugh, cry, then pray,
Let's keep him in our hearts as our hair turns to gray.
Though it's been two years, we still tend to weep,
I know he'll awaken from this temporary sleep.
God will call and Jim will answer & speak,
For God promises to end pain & death for the meek.
Now after his death there's much we can learn,
About the gift of a life that we cannot earn.
I'm talking about eternal life right here on the Earth,
The one God intended from Adam & Eve's birth.
You see we were never meant to go to the grave,
It is from sin and death that Jesus will save.
So search him out, those of you rightly disposed,
It's not too late yet, but soon the door will be closed.
Be here as we welcome back Jim from his sleep,
With all our loved ones for joy we will leap.
Our happiness is shown with real vigor and vim,
This is the new world according to Jim.
By Casey Pierce
December, 2009
Life is simply a ride from one place to another,
A means to travel through this world and not smother.
Each of us tend to view the world differently,
Cowboy Jim did this like no one else as you'll see.
If you need it explained, you've never met him,
This is a true story of the world according to Jim.
Jim's ride began in '47 as a newborn baby boy,
For Jim & Eileen Morgan he meant nothing but joy.
Before long they realized they had their hands full,
Little Jimmy was nothing but your typical bull.
The story of Cowboy Jim is fun to be told,
After God made him, He then broke the mold.
To Jim being a cowboy was truly innate,
He was certainly born a hundred years too late.
He thought he was a horse from the time he could talk,
On hands & feet he would run, he'd rather not walk.
The little kids rode on his back as they grinned,
He loped around with them, free as the wind.
No need to exercise at the gym,
This was the world according to Jim.
He spent time in Vietnam during the war,
He was gone for three years, it seemed to be more.
While there he learned about being a true friend,
And how you never know when your own life may end.
He would tell me solemnly “Case, war is hell.”
Not many stories from that time would he tell.
The eldest of ten children, it was a good lot in life.
He was a brother, a father & husband to one wife.
He wed a gal in '71, Deb was her name,
They soon had a child, fanning the flame.
Deb was his first love, beautiful and slim,
This was the world according to Jim.
They settled in Montville on a dusty dirt road,
Named the place Rusty Hinge Ranch, t'was a humble abode.
His children came along, named Casey & Michele,
Two things he owned outright and never would sell.
My trail crossed his in '72, where I joined in his race,
While growing up on the Ranch, I followed his pace.
Although I didn't grow up to be proper and prim,
This was the world according to Jim.
The Ranch was his own little piece of the west,
Though I didn't know it, I really was blessed.
As I grew older, we rode side by
side,
This time in my life I would not be denied.
Then he'd let me lead, urging as any father would,
He wasn't the best model but he did all he could.
He taught me about life & to share all we had,
There were many good things I learned from my dad.
It has been said that he lived in his own little world,
Anyone else in his position would have come unfurled.
You might go home with bruises or a broken limb,
This was the world according to Jim.
A visit to the Ranch was a trip back in time,
No microwave oven but on a horse you could climb.
Each morning at the Ranch would start the same way,
Instant coffee straight from the tap, he'd plan out the day.
While watching Bonanza and talking on the phone,
All this he'd accomplish while sitting on the throne!
If the table was rockin' he'd make up a shim,
This was the world according to Jim.
Weekday mornings he spent watching Ben Cartwright,
No greater man was there in Jim's eyesight.
Then there was shuffling cards for solitaire,
Or falling asleep by the fire on the couch or chair.
The evenings we'd watch MASH, play Rummy & eat,
He was a good sport 'cause he often got beat.
We ate Banquet chicken & Cheezits & fries,
Or maybe spaghetti or chicken potpies.
Then Sunday mornings to church for a hymn,
This was the world according to Jim.
He often did things without planning them through,
I credit that mostly to way too much brew.
“Let's go to the sale & then ride horses to the bar.
We can't get pulled over if we're not in a car!”
He bought the cheapest beer, it was Milwaukee's Best,
Jim tried out many ways of avoiding arrest.
Stashed in his truck were tic tacs, Old Spice & Big Red,
He'd use his one phone call to make sure the horses got fed.
He still spent some quality time in jail,
We hoped & prayed, but all this to no avail.
Most would find these circumstances quite grim,
But this was the world according to Jim.
A marathon of Tarzan would last the day long,
Then we'd sit around the campfire sharing a song.
We sat mesmerized during The Reverend Mr. Black,
With everyone present he'd share his twelve pack.
Then I'd ask him to sing The Farmer & The Lord,
If you liked simplicity, you wouldn't be
bored.
Somewhere in the midst of it a horse needs a trim,
This was the world according to Jim.
All those in Montville knew him by first name,
If there was a loose horse, Jim got the blame.
The neighbors were either full of love or hate,
Jim would hitch the team then go spread manure late.
His dog, Coke, was sure to run in their yard,
Most wanted to see him feathered and tarred.
They'd run out screaming all the way to the road,
He'd smile & wish them well, glad tidings bestowed.
He would cock his hat, just touching the brim,
This was the world according to Jim.
Driving his truck could be an all day ordeal,
If you had a driver's license, you got the wheel.
He'd say “Don't use the brakes, just downshift & coast.”
We knew not to argue, we'd just make the most.
If he ran short on money, he'd just write a check,
Didn't matter if he had the cash, “Oh, what the heck!”
He did many things on a fluttering whim,
But that was the world according to Jim.
Jim could make a buck in so many ways,
Doing pony rides would make for long days.
Always a free ride for the sick or the old,
The joy he gave to them he got back tenfold.
If you came out to the Ranch to rent a horse for the trail,
He'd try to sell it to you 'cause everything's for sale.
How about a late night camp fire or swim?
This was the world according to Jim.
You could also go on a midnight hayride,
Most city folks feared they were being shanghaied.
He worked hard shoeing horses & had a bad back,
He'd work when he could, then go buy a twelve pack.
This life had its drawbacks, he was usually broke,
But he made sure he had his beer and cigars to smoke.
For any other person, the outlook was dim,
But this was the world according to Jim.
Larry urged “C'mon, Jim, join us in the race!”
Jim wasn't ready to keep up that pace.
He figured if he hired out, the taxes would rob,
He found the cure for sure, he didn't have a job!
Jim wasn't what you would call fat & lazy,
But rather showed signs of being plain crazy.
He said “You cannot get blood from a stone.”
That's why he spent most of his life all
alone.
He seemed to find a way just to skim,
This was the world according to Jim.
His truck would break down alongside the road,
Without hesitation, his horse he'd unload.
Turn on the four ways, fill the saddlebags with beer,
Grab the dog then leave a note on the mirror.
Ride away with a .357 on his hip,
You would think twice before giving him lip.
If he got a flat tire, he'd just drive on the rim,
This was the world according to Jim.
Jim played many roles while living in this world,
A son, brother, soldier, father; his life whirled.
A husband, a teacher & surely a friend,
But he was far from perfect, so let's not pretend.
Cowboy Jim lived in this world sixty years,
His passing brought friends & family to tears.
Now his life's been reduced to some boxes getting dusty,
And one old sorrel horse, he called his name Rusty.
But what's left behind doesn't measure a man's true worth,
It's what he does as he rides from the day of his birth.
Even though he's already rode his last mile,
If we try for a moment, we'll find reason to smile.
When we think of Jim, we laugh, cry, then pray,
Let's keep him in our hearts as our hair turns to gray.
Though it's been two years, we still tend to weep,
I know he'll awaken from this temporary sleep.
God will call and Jim will answer & speak,
For God promises to end pain & death for the meek.
Now after his death there's much we can learn,
About the gift of a life that we cannot earn.
I'm talking about eternal life right here on the Earth,
The one God intended from Adam & Eve's birth.
You see we were never meant to go to the grave,
It is from sin and death that Jesus will save.
So search him out, those of you rightly disposed,
It's not too late yet, but soon the door will be closed.
Be here as we welcome back Jim from his sleep,
With all our loved ones for joy we will leap.
Our happiness is shown with real vigor and vim,
This is the new world according to Jim.
By Casey Pierce
December, 2009
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________