James Edward Radtkey - Online Memorial Website

I am at a total loss for wordsand still in shock over hearing of Jim's passing.

I have fond memories of him working for my dad. And also when he rode the P.A. school buss and when it stopped at Stewarts Pt. store on the way to taking kids home so they could get a snack, he always had kind word and a hello for me. He was one of the very few who did.

My sympathy and prayers go out to the whole family.

I had the good fortune to meet Jim in June of 1995 when I began working for Parmeter Logging and Excavation.  I worked with him for about a month before I learned He was married to Dana (Parmeter).  Lots of folks I had met and worked with over the years would have made that fact clear to establish a pecking order of some kind...not Jim.  He didnt need to!  His skill with equipment (especially the bulldozer) was apparent in everything he did and despite that talent he was never arrogant or egotistcal about it.    He had my respect because of his skill, work ethic, the type of person he was and how he carried himself.

Because of his exceptional talent on the dozer I sometimes would call him "Obi-Wan Radtkey", a reference to the Jedi Master who mentored Luke Skywalker in the movie Star Wars.  I'm not sure he liked it or agreed with it but it was well deserved and he certainly taught me methods of operation and tactics I use today in my career with Cal-Fire as a Heavy Fire Equipment Operator. I never missed an opportunity to ask questions then listed to the answers so I could develop my own skills. I was then, and are still today a Jim Radtkey "wanna-be".

It was always great to run into him on fire assignments.  We would often joke about who was going to be following who when cutting fireline...several years ago I had the misfortune to be assigned to a D4E dozer, that Jim called a "russian dune buggy"! (He was right) I made sure I let him know when it was gone and I got a D6C.

Like lots of other people I was fortunate to have spent time with him working, hunting and enjoying the outdoors.  At work Jim always could cheer me up if I was having a bad day...I am not sure that He tried to do it but if you were wound up about something it was hard to stay that way once you talked to him about it.  He had a wisdom about him that was beyond his years.  

I feel fortunate to have had Jim as a friend.  I hope he knew how people felt about him.  I believe he did.    

Thanks to his family for sharing him with all of us.

To Jim: I will see you again one day brother!!

Rich Noonan
Heavy Fire Equipment Operator
Cal-Fire/Mendocino Unit 


  

Dear Dana & Family

I'm so sorry for your loss.  I'll always remember Jim's smile, politeness and the way his eyes sparkled and danced.  He was a good man and admired throughout the community.  He will be missed.  God bless you and your family. 

We really don't know how to express how sorry we were to hear about Jim.  We regret that we won't be able to make it on Saturday.  Please know our hearts and thoughts are with you.

 

Dear Fred, Mieko & Harold,

Real sorrry to hear of Jim's passing & your great loss.  Dona & I are thinking about you. 

                                             
                                            Jim O'Brien

Our sincerest condolences to the entire family.  Dana, Ben and Charles - you're in our thoughts and prayers. 

When I look back on the some of the most fun I have had in my life Jim was often there. Goofing around at the ranch, tearing up the woods in our trucks or seeing how long we could get a dog to balance on the top of a fence post. There are just too many good times to recount them all. Jim really loved to tell stories and he did it well. He could have the whole room in stitches in short order. I had not seen him in a long time but he just seemed to always be right there. Probably because whenever I think of good times he would naturally be part of it. His memory will follow me always.

God speed Jim, the world is a better place for your having been a part of it.

My deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the whole family.

Bobby had gone out to Dave and Bunny Lewers a few weeks ago. He came home and told me he had seen Jim. It had been years since they had seen each other. He said how nice it was to see Jim again and what a great guy he was. He was really happy to have seen him. He mentioned it several times. Then a week later he got the news of Jim passing. Bobby is so greatful to have seen his old friend again. Our thoughts and prays are with his family. We are so sorry for your loss.

I met Jimmy during my first day of teaching at Horicon School in 1972. I had 17 kids in grades 5-8, and Jimmy was in fifth, Harold in eighth.  I recall he, Harold, and most of the other boys being quite suspicious of my hiring. That's why, I think, they all climbed up and hid thirty feet into the far redwoods by George Mandel's property during their lunchtime. I couldn't find them anywhere on campus and figured I would be fired at the end of the first day of school for their absence.

Stuggy, the hamster, and the upside-down fire extinguisher are only a small part of the other adventures we shared.

For four years I enjoyed Jim's sense of humor, his work ethic, and curiosity. He was a delightful student, and it is obvious that he grew up to be a productive, responsible adult.

Though I kept up with some of his life's experiences through his peers, I am sorry we did not see each other in the past decade.

I am deeply saddened and send heartfelt condolences to Fred, Mieko, Harold, and the rest of the family. Unfortunately I will be out-of-town this weekend.

Bill Matthews