james Riley

Living in Muskegon county since 1976.
37 years of non-nubial bliss with Francine.
We still spend 6-7 weeks skiing. Mostly CO.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the 50th.
Thank God for name tags!

I'm not quite sure where to start but here goes.

I'm looking forward to attending the Seaholm 50th next year.

I've only been to one of the "biggies", the 40th, and it was a lot of fun.

Been reading and getting emails from the Seaholm67 site (thanks to all who are doing the hard work!) and stumbled upon the "In Memory" tab.

As I, like most of us, spent most of my high school years "under the radar", I didn't expect to see such a long list.

Somewhat surprised that I knew or had a passing acquaintance with many.

Some I had never heard of, or perhaps simply forgot. Names without faces.

As I read down the list one name did jump out at me, "Roger Wixom Sibley (Deceased Year Unknown)".

I barely knew Roger but my memories of his being bullied during our school years still haunt me.

I don't remember many real specifics but it seemed the mocking, shoving and mean spirited harassment of Roger was never ending.

He was smaller than most of us. Carried his books close to his chest, like the girls did in those days. Not like us boys, who carried ours straight armed.

As he struggled to make it through the halls to his next class without attracting the attention he surely knew would crowd his day with pain.

Shamefully, I don't recall that I ever interceded on his behalf. I do remember, vividly, standing to the side and watching as his torment continued.

I did try to befriend him. But he wouldn't allow it. The walls too great. The pain to intense.

I've carried his memory, maybe more clearly than any high school memory, to this day.

The memory of my cowardice still remains but I've tried to live my life a bit more courageously because of Roger's suffering and his strength to carry on.

Many times in the last decades, I've stood a bit stronger than I might have otherwise because of my memory of Roger.

And my shame.

I've always wondered how things turned out for him.

So, when I saw his full name on the Seaholm site I did a google search and found Roger's obituary.

Here it is: http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/editorial/obituaries/article_d32538ae-1e94-5c52-ab73-650d32b3aa70.html .

"MADISON - Roger Wixom Sibley, age 57, passed away on Sunday, March 25, 2007, at the University Hospital and Clinics, following a short illness…"

It seems that, while far too short, Roger was able to make a nice life for himself.

It makes me feel a little better.

Thanks Roger Sibley, for helping me become a better man.

Jim Riley '67