James "Jim" Bouder

1960 - 2022

James N. Bouder

November 22, 1960 - August 30, 2022

James N. Bouder died suddenly on August 30, 2022, while recovering from Covid at the age of 61 at Kingston of Sylvania Assisted Living. Jim had many health complications in the last few years and was working to overcome some of those health issues.

Jim was born to his loving parents, Norman and Grace (Hammaker) Bouder on November 22, 1960, in Baltimore, Maryland. Jim had a very happy childhood with family in the Baltimore area. The young family moved to the Old West End of Toledo, Ohio in 1965 so that Norman could take a position with Libbey Glass. Norman was a designer of glassware for Libbey for 20 years. Grace was a devoted homemaker and mother. Jim faced many challenges including the loss of his mother to breast cancer in 1981. Jim had many interests and his avocation was being an artist and cartoonist. Jim was a proud Whitmer graduate ('79), lover of all things Maryland, and an avid reader of The Toledo Blade!

Christ Presbyterian Church was a mainstay for Jim and his family and many still know Jim as "Jimmy." Much of his time at church was spent serving others in different roles such as organizing and replenishing pew cards, pens, and handout materials. Also, Jim was on an ushering team. Well before graphic design on computers existed, Jim would draw and replicate posters for church events, spending hours making sure every detail was perfect. He was especially fond of attending church weekly and watching his father in the church choir. In 2002, Jim served on the 50th Anniversary committee for publicity and assisted with the time capsule. Jim was a good and kind friend to many people at Christ Presbyterian and they cared for Jim very much. Jim enjoyed his birthday parties with many church members helping to make his day special.

The pinnacle of achievements for Jim was his graduation from his beloved Alma mater, Whitmer High School in 1979. He had many friends from his elementary days at Meadowvale Elementary School as the family had built a home near Whitmer High School. These friendships continued into high school days and a special friend, Susan, remained in contact with Jim all his adult years. Jim remembered those days as the best in his life. In elementary school Jim enjoyed bowling and in high school he excelled in art and was involved in the Junior Achievement program and church Youth Group. Jim would see Whitmer graduates in medical settings, grocery stores and around the Toledo area and remember them fondly. Jim's Whitmer Spanish teacher was a fellow resident at Kingston and they enjoyed conversing in the last few years.

After his father's death in 2016, Kingston became Jim's home. As an artist, Jim put his cartoonist skills to use for the Kingston newsletter creatively using his wit and puns to craft wonderful cartoons. Jim enjoyed the weekly visits from care dogs, balloon volleyball, and faithfully attended resident council meetings to voice his concerns. A very special thank you goes out to the staff at Kingston who cared in different ways including the nursing staff, physical therapy, activities, the cooks, kitchen staff, and the transportation and maintenance departments that made such a difference in Jim's life. While at Kingston, Jim became an avid radio listener having a very set schedule of music from the 60's, 70's and 80's that he would listen to every night.

Dates were very important to Jim and he reminded people of annual dates pertaining to many family members and family events as well as historical dates. Jim knew much of his family history in the Baltimore area and was enthralled with anything related to Maryland from crab cakes, to history or Maryland culture; he openly celebrated his birth state with exuberance. Jim often talked of his parent's friends from their childhood in the Baltimore area and he still corresponded with two of those friends in recent years. His maternal grandfather, Frank Ensor Hammaker, had a several generation family monument business begun in 1874. Jim and Norman, with the help of his grandfather, used a Hammaker family design for the Bouder family grave marker in Toledo Memorial Park.

Preceding Jim in death were his parents, Norman at the age of 92 in 2016, and Grace of breast cancer at 49 years of age in 1981; and a baby brother, Martin, prior to Jim's birth. Grace was involved in treatments with then experimental drugs for her cancer at the Mayo Clinic.

Jim's longtime friend and advisor, Kate Backoff, would like to thank "Team Jim" for their years of friendship and service to Jim. They include: Bridgett Root, Esq.; Dr. David Connell, PhD; Jourdan Miller, Kathy Webb, Rev. Dr. Tom Schwartz and Rev. Cheryl Nutting. Additional thanks again to Jim's many caregivers at Kingston and Christopher Walker, CRPC. Jim was under the care of NOMS Physical Therapy and his several times a week visits with Jim Vitale, P.T.; Amanda, Chris, Paul and the whole team were filled with friendship, warmth, and good workouts. Thanks to special healthcare providers to Jim: Eileen Brodbeck NP; Dr. Lawrence Spetka; Dr. Mark O'Connor; Michelle Richards, O.T.

Services will be held at Christ Presbyterian Church, 4225 Sylvania Avenue (corner of Talmadge Rd. and Sylvania Avenue) on Tuesday, November 15 at 12:30 p.m. There will be a Visitation at 11:30 a.m. and reception following the service. Inurnment will be at Toledo Memorial Park following the reception. Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Presbyterian Church. Online condolences may be made at walkerfuneralhomes.com.

Jim would carefully read every obituary in The Toledo Blade and hopefully this one would please him!

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