James John Jira

JIRA--James John, a native New Yorker died at 49 on September 26, 2008. A true New Yorker, "Jim" was born on First St. & First Ave. and moved "uptown" to Second St. which he used to say was "a very long trip." He left home at an early age, and lived with various alternative communities and friends in the village in the 1970s. School did not agree with him, but early on he showed huge talent in both building things, and creating beautiful drawings and paintings. He was one of the original NYC homesteaders, fixing up an uninhabitable building and acquiring it from the city along with his neighbors, making it into a "sweat equity" coop. He renovated numerous apartments in Manhattan, and worked as a studio assistant in recent years. This summer he traveled to the California desert to work on a special installation with old friend Randy Polumbo. Jim's loyalty, dependability, and humor will be missed by friends and family alike. His wonderful paintings will be exhibited in California later this year at Art Queen in Joshua Tree. There will be a service at Middle Collegiate Church at 50 East 7th Street on October 25 at 1pm with a reception after. Please make donations in lieu of flowers to: The Catholic Worker, Maryhouse, 55 E Third St., NY, NY 10003. Phone: 212-777-9617