James DeGroff

I took skiing lessons from Jim at Mount Southington in the 70's, when I was a kid. I'm turning 60 next month, still skiing and putting to use the skills and technique that Jim so patiently imparted so many years ago. I remember him as a very nice guy, and I'm sorry to hear of his passing. My condolences to his family.

Dad always liked to drive. He would wake us at 4AM on a Sunday morning, drive four hours to Killington, VT. and ski with us all day long, and then drive all the way home. We all slept both ways. I share that love for driving but he set the standard. Later in life he would drive in the van pool for work when it was his turn, but then would let others sleep and take their spot driving in the rotation too!

Skiing and going to the Cape will always hold special places in my heart that we did together, and later in California going to the beach, Tahoe, and Disney were great times. Dad introduced me to Sudoku and we did so many together on my visits. Now, I do them almost every night with my oldest daughter.

Dad told me when I was in high school that it isn't how much money you make, but how much you love getting up each day and going to work. I am very fortunate that I followed that advice and love teaching so much.

My first memory was of dad making pancakes on the "gen-air" in our kitchen in Kensington.