Sometimes you go through life and you find friends along the way and that friendship last for decades. It is with great sadness in my heart that my dear friend, Jim Donner, has left us (‘Curmudgeon with a heart,’ GOP stalwart Jim Donner dies at 79,” The Herald April 5).
We were not close in high school, but we developed into great friends after we both joined the Snohomish Jaycees in the early 1960s. It is a friendship that lasted almost 60 years. We were involved in both Jaycee politics and “real politics.”
The Herald headline referred to Jim as a “curmudgeon.” Yes he was “crusty” and an old man, but never was he “ill-tempered.” But two out of three isn’t bad. In all probability Herald columnist Jerry Cornfield has lost a great source for political news in the county.
Jim did give great political advice. And, yes, he was a proud Republican. Jim always lamented that it was a real tough job to elect Republicans in certain parts of Snohomish County. And he was practical in politics. He did work and support some Democrats over the years. He was involved in electing Democrat State Reps. John Martinis and Ron Keller. He was campaign chairman for County Treasurer Kirke Sievers in his campaigns. He also supported County Auditor Carolyn Weikel. He worked well with Democrats on the County Council. And, he was very supportive of Dave Somers in his first campaign for county executive.
One could often find him holding court at Willow and Jim’s Cafe in Silvana on Wednesday mornings. Those get-togethers were fun and in their day the table had a mixture of Dems and Repubs trading barbs and info about politics. As time went on the crowd dropped. We are all getting older and some of those who were regulars on Wednesday have left us.
Unfortunately, I was out of state when Jim’s illness hit and I was not able to say the goodbye I wished I could have. But he was my friend and I will miss him forever.
Don Wlazlak
Marysville
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