Obituary of James Christopher Hellman

View video tribute online by clicking the link below: http://videos.lifetributes.com/?id=11142 James (Jim) Hellman was born on July 20, 1951 in San Francisco, California, to John and Lola Hellman. He was nearly 2 feet tall and the doctor predicted he’d grow to well over 6 feet tall but the Hellman genes said otherwise. Jim’s one and 1/2 year old sister Bonnie was thrilled to have a sibling to assist in her many adventures. Jim walked and climbed at a very early age and he was fearless. Together he and Bonnie explored many of the off-limits places in the house. Their parents had put locks on door and cabinets up high so they couldn’t get into mischief. No problem for this dynamic duo. Bonnie would put a little chair on a big chair and Jim would climb up and unlock the door. So many things to explore- like what all the cereals looked like together poured out together onto the floor…or what all the perfumes together smelled like. They both also loved the water. Bonnie liked to sit in the wading pool while Jim would hold the hose. And neither saw the use of wearing a bathing suit. They preferred the all-natural feeling of the water. Lola would often come out of the house to find 2 little naked water sprites. She recalled one time when they had just moved to Palo Alto that a salesman came to the door. As she talked with the gentleman she spied in the background Bonnie and Jim skipping naked…once again…down the street of the new development. Fortunately as they both grew older; their respect for clothing also grew. The family moved to Palo Alto early in Jim’s life and several years later a younger brother, John, was added to the mix. It was a lovely childhood. All the neighborhood kids would congregate on the island in the middle of the street to play games after dinner, or meet in Jim’s Pirate Fort in the back yard for a camping adventure or Halloween Spook House, or arrange impromptu parades, carnivals and performances down the middle of the street. Also close by was Rinconada Park with its two swimming pools and playgrounds. Bike hikes and Scavenger hunts kept the neighborhood fun and happy. All 3 Hellman kids performed at the Palo Alto Children’s Theater. Jim played leading roles in many shows such as “The Christmas Shoes of Diego” and “The Wonderful Tang”, but his passion was really for sports. Although he had a real aptitude for acting, his passion was in sports. Jim and Bonnie both were on a Father/Child Bowling league and Jim proved to be quite a good bowler. He also played Little League and Babe Ruth baseball as a catcher with awesome power. When Jim was around 14 he blasted a monstrous home run that everyone agreed would’ve gone over the fence at Candlestick Park. He also swam on a swim team and played tennis. Beside sports Jim spent many summer days at Foothill Day Camp located in the hills above Palo Alto. There he roamed the poison oak scented woods, playing camp games, sang about “Camp Toll” where the mosquitoes were seven feet tall. He eventually became a Junior Leader at the camp with the dangerous nickname of “Rattlesnake”. He always loved animals and was a great playmate for the family’s pet squirrel, Peppy. Sports continued to be a large part of Jim’s life after elementary school. At Jordan Junior High he played football, was on the tennis team and was an excellent swimmer for the Dolphin swim team. He eventually took after his father and began focusing on his tennis. Jim enjoyed coaching from some of the sport’s finest instructors and by the time he was in high school Jim had attained a junior class ranking in the State of California. Jim also was interested in world events and politics and was elected as a School Senator in the Student Government at Jordan. While busy with sports and student government, Jim still found time for music & the arts. Bonnie would occasionally draft him to perform in a community or school theatre production. In Junior High he started learning to play the trumpet. By High School he had switched from the trumpet to the French horn. He was an enthusiastic member of the marching band and pep band, performing in concerts, football games and even at Disneyland. At Palo Alto High School (Paly) Jim channeled his passion for competition into the world of business. He joined Junior Achievement and found that he was a fast learner. By his senior year Jim was his company’s President and led his group to national honors. His company, 3E, set sales records and Jim was selected to go to the National Conference in Indianapolis as a regional representative and President of the Year. Jim’s enthusiasm was complemented by a generous nature, paying his kid brother, John, an unofficial company member, a very fair wage to sell the company’s product door to door. This act was appreciated by all the merchants that kept John’s supplied with candy. After graduating with a Junior Achievement scholarship in hand Jim went on to attend San Jose State University where he majored in Marketing. He played college tennis but his new recreational interests turned to golf, a sport that would provide years of joy and grief as befalls all who head down that path. It’s a sport of never-ending struggle. An avid seeker of knowledge Jim pursued the family genealogical roots and developed his strong spiritual nature as a Deacon at the Cupertino Baptist Church he attended. He was very active in his church recognizing that serving others was one of his callings. Another battle was already underway in Jim’s life as he neared college graduation…. mental illness. Jim was diagnosed as being bipolar as he was finishing with college. Episodes of the illness would fuel his drive beyond his control and made it increasingly difficult for Jim to fully pursue his dreams. These episodes would be triggered by insufficient rest and Jim had to do something he never had to do before, slow down, something against Jim’s grain and something he’d have to battle in the years ahead. Nevertheless Jim graduated and with medication spent nearly thirty years pursuing a business career. He loved working at The Varian Company in San Jose as a Production Scheduler and took part in the company softball and bowling teams. After many years in the computer industry, his job was replaced by a computer and he set out for new business opportunities. I think the jobs that brought him the most joy through the years were managing a movie theatre and later managing a video store. Jim absolutely loved movies, loved watching them over and over, and he loved giving his opinions on films to anyone who would listen. At the video store, he made it his business to watch all the movies so that he could make recommendations to customers. Among his favorite films were “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, and Mad World”, “Blazing Saddles” (the baked bean sequences always made him laugh) and his absolute favorite and a long-time Christmas tradition was “A Christmas Story”. Every year he would arrive for Christmas with the family and the movie would be played over and over again on TV and he enjoyed it every time. While Jim’s business life had ups and downs as the years passed Jim always kept his integrity and dedication to working hard and doing his best. He was always eager to help out anyone who needed help. He worked hard for political campaigns and for social causes such as Beyond War. He acted as a mentor for the Varian sponsored Junior Achievement company and did a smashing job of being the Best Man at John and Cassie’s wedding. Later in life Jim helped in the care of his mother when she became ill. He moved from Eugene to Tacoma to assist the family in her care during her last years. When he could no longer work regularly because of his own illness he was always ready to assist his family, helping John, Cassie and Chris in clearing brush and laying pipe for their home in the northwest woods. He would let out a “Tasmanian-like” growl as he lifted large chunks of wood to toss them into the slash fire. Jim was a great house sitter and became much loved by Pumba…the dog…as he frequently left the dog food bag wide open and within easy reach. As Jim’s health declined during the last few years he always made an extra effort to remember everyone’s birthdays with a gift and a “Tasmanian-like” growl. Jim passed away on August 20, 2007 at age 56. Although he didn’t get a very fair shake in regard to longevity Jim lived life according to the motto of his Junior Achievement company, “3E”, which stands for “Energy, Effort and Enthusiasm”. He is remembered with love by his sister Bonnie, brother John, sister in-law Cassie, nephew Chris, cousins, extended family members and the good folks at the Northwest Retirement Center where he lived the past five years. He will be especially missed by Pumba…the dog…for only “Uncle Jim” knew exactly how to fill her food bowl.