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Former VCDL Director passes away

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Most of us get the alerts but for those that don't...
Godspeed Jim!

It is with a very heavy heart that I must report the passing of Jim Kadison, a wonderful friend and previous VCDL Board of Directors member. Jim was diagnosed with a serious illness in late 2008 and stepped down from the Board of Directors in April of 2009 so that he could concentrate on his health. Jim was a quiet, private, religious, moral, and very humble man who was passionate about protecting ALL of our rights. His small stature belied his giant spirit, a spirit that was unyielding when it came to speaking and defending the truth. I'm sure that most VCDL members don't know all the important contributions Jim has made over the years in protecting the right to keep and bear arms in Virginia, so I'll share a few items with you. A retired lawyer, Jim provided important legal advice and sage counsel to VCDL, keeping the organization on track and focused. Board member Bruce Jackson said this about Jim in an email to VCDL's Executive members today, "Jim was a huge voice of reason on the Board. He could be counted on to completely change the outcome of a vote with insight and logic that, while obvious to him, could be elusive for the rest of us at times." Indeed, I turned to Jim more times than I can count to get clarity and guidance on one issue or another. Jim always stood ready and happy to help. And it wasn't just words of advice that Jim offered. Whenever anything came up that might require funds to achieve, be it a court battle or some miscellaneous VCDL project, Jim was right there offering financial support. Jim's generous donations to pro-gun politicians kept many doors open for VCDL. Board member Dennis O'Connor, in a list of things he emailed me about Jim, noted this: "Jim was always the consummate gentleman. In most board meetings, and especially when debate became contentious, all of us at one time or another would speak out of turn or interject our points randomly. Never Jim - I can still see him sitting there for minutes at a time patiently waiting to speak while bursting at the seams to do so. He would hold up his hand up and wait to be acknowledged. He would never, ever interrupt even the interrupters." Finally, one of Jim's major rolls in VCDL was being my righthand man during the General Assembly session from January to March each year. He was often at the General Assembly Building when I couldn't be because of my job. He would keep his eyes and ears open and notify me immediately should anything significant arise. Jim provided critical and timely legal guidance to me when bills were being modified on the fly in a subcommittee. (Often when that happens I have only a minute or two to decide on VCDL's position on the modified bill - Jim sure made that job a whole lot easier!) JIm's funeral will be at 11 AM Wednesday at: Judaic Gardens 16225 Batchellors Forest Road Olney, Maryland 20832 Jim was a kind soul and he will be greatly missed by all that got to know him. Rest in Peace my friend.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Never had the pleasure of meeting the man personally, but from what I have heard, seen and read, Jim's influence and the knowledge he imparted will live on far after his passing.

Thanks for paving the way, my brother. You did well, now rest in peace.
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
Sounds like a great guy and a great advocate for our rights. My thoughts are with his family. Might I suggest that folks send a donation to VCDL in his honor?
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
I've met him. Just very briefly. Seen him in action at Fairfax County government building, seen him speak a few times at NoVA VCDL meetings. I of course formed my own high estimation of him based on my observations. I can see from the write-up that I missed the mark by several notches. He was an even bigger man than I guessed.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
In most board meetings, and especially when debate became contentious, all of us at one time or another would speak out of turn or interject our points randomly. Never Jim - I can still see him sitting there for minutes at a time patiently waiting to speak while bursting at the seams to do so. He would hold up his hand up and wait to be acknowledged. He would never, ever interrupt even the interrupters.

Oh, my. What a handy little gem. My, my, my.

Needless to say, I think the moderators just lost most of their altitude. I'm gonna save that bold-faced info for the next time a moderator wants to criticize for "contentious debate" or poor forum manners.

:D
 

SFCRetired

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2008
Messages
1,764
Location
Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Oh, my. What a handy little gem. My, my, my.

Needless to say, I think the moderators just lost most of their altitude. I'm gonna save that bold-faced info for the next time a moderator wants to criticize for "contentious debate" or poor forum manners.

:D

That comment, sir, was most assuredly uncalled for when others are expressing their condolences to the family and friends of a man who was evidently very well respected and admired.

The moderators lost nothing. You, I do believe, just lost a lot of the respect others held toward you.

That said, although I am not in Virginia and did not know the gentleman, I would also like to express my personal condolences to his family and friends. As John Donne so eloquently phrased it,

"No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as a manor of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Those who were fortunate enough to know the man and even those who were not so fortunate are lessened by his passing.
 

Wolf_shadow

Activist Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
1,215
Location
Accomac, Virginia, USA
That comment, sir, was most assuredly uncalled for when others are expressing their condolences to the family and friends of a man who was evidently very well respected and admired.

The moderators lost nothing. You, I do believe, just lost a lot of the respect others held toward you.

That said, although I am not in Virginia and did not know the gentleman, I would also like to express my personal condolences to his family and friends. As John Donne so eloquently phrased it,

"No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as a manor of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Those who were fortunate enough to know the man and even those who were not so fortunate are lessened by his passing.

+1
I was not fortunate enough to know him, but thank him for his efforts.
 
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