I am sad to have just learned of Jim's passing. He & I met after he represented me in court. We became friends soon after & got to be real good friends during the time he was going thru his very difficult divorce before he moved back to Tennessee. We both shared many of the same interests & had some memorable adventures before he left with his two girls, who always were the center of his world. I'll always remember Jim for his laughter,compassion & upbeat personality, but what I will remember most is his love for his girls & sense of adventure. He was a highly respected attorney here in Hawaii & had many friends here in the islands. I had the honor of meeting his mother (over the phone lol) after he moved back & he came back to the islands one last time a few months after moving & he stayed with us for a few days & he & I had some great conversations while he was here. Sadly, both of our lives were in different orbits after he left & we had lost touch over the past few years. To all of his girls & family; my deepest sympathy for your loss. He loved all of you more than anything else in this world. Keep your love of him close to your heart & he will be with you forever. Aloha Ka Kou, Jim. May you continue your travels & adventures in Heaven like you did here on earth. Rob

Jim was a great guy, loyal friend, innovative law professor, and outstanding adventurer. We co-taught law school classes together during the magical 1978-1985 years at the University of Hawaii Law School. We did teaching demonstrations at conferences in San Diego, Reno, Minneapolis, and Washington DC. He was a brilliant man, delightful colleague, and the guy you want at your side during peak adventures because the worse it got, the better he liked it. I have wonderful memories of the adventures we shared which I will recall here for his family. He taught me about the great outdoors, introduced me to backpacking, and got me to spend a lot of money at camping stores. We traveled together in England, Ireland, Egypt, Israel, India, and Nepal. We did snow camping in Australia, Washington, Oregon, and Yosemite NP. On every trip, we skied out on cross- country skis with backpacks and tents, spending a few nights in the snow, and usually skiing in one day to the downhill slopes where we skied all day and then put back on our cross-country skis and skied back to our tents in the snow for the night. He was crazy. In Australia, we played in Sydney, backpacked the Blue Gum Forest, watched the full moon rise from on top of Ayres Rock. We wandered the streets of London, sampled the Guinness in Ireland, rode camels by the pyramids in Cairo, visited the Egyptian tombs in Luxor, and sailed the Nile for four days on the felucca (small sailboat) from Aswan to Luxor �" sick as dogs because the captain washed the dishes in the polluted river. In Israel, we visited the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the streets of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron, hiked up the side of and spent the night on the top of Masada, and swam/floated in the Dead Sea. In India, we explored the streets of New Delhi, visited the Taj Mahal, traveled through Kashmir, and trekked through Ladock for a week, just the two of us and a man who spoke no English but had ponies to carry our packs over the 18,000 passes. In Nepal, we visited temples in Kathmandu, rounded up provisions on the side streets, and tracked for another week in the Annapurna Sanctuary. Back in Hawaii, we backpacked Haleakala on Maui; Halape, the Kau Desert, and volcanoes on the Big Island and climbed up Mauna Kea; on Kauai, we both backpacked and at other times kayaked to Kalalau. We backpacked near Lake Tahoe, in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. We canoed a river in Minnesota fighting off the mosquitoes and black flies for the whole trip �" another Countiss idea of great fun. Jim started our Easter Sunrise hike tradition, a tradition that has continued for nearly 40 years. Jim, dear friend, I hope your next adventure is every bit as exciting as the rest have been. We miss you greatly. Aloha yourself (as Jim would say) John Barkai

Terryl, Audrey, Jacob, Bruce and family members, I am so sorry to hear this. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

I never knew Jim well since I was acouple grades ahead at THS. We were team mates on Coach Troper's basketball team.Jim was so smart and highly competitive, I knew he would go on to greater things. RIP my old high school friend.

Sometimes, I would preface my emails to my dad by saying hi from your youngest favoritest daughter. I've always felt love and pride from my father. The way he lives his life has been inspiring. Being by his bedside during his final hours listening to Elvis with his sweetheart and my sisters is the most profound experience I've had in my life so far. What a man and what a wonderful world.

Aloha to Jim… Jim was a big part of my life. I first met him in 1980 when he was a professor at the William Richardson School of Law in Hawaii. He was a friend from the beginning. After his first divorce and his round-the-world trip, he came to be more than a friend. He became the father of my children, law partner, and husband. I last saw him at the wedding of our daughter, Lia (now known as Natalie Georgieff). We shared that great event with the Georgieffs, Kati Countiss, Jenny, Jon & Taylor Calkins, , and Terryl Rock and all of the friends and family who were there. Jim was happy to walk Lia down the aisle and would have loved to see his second grandson’s birth. Jim loved all of his family and was a sensitive, caring soul. His love of life and adventure was always a big part of our lives. I was lucky enough to be a part of his life and adventure. As he embarks on this new adventure, I know that he takes with him the love of his family and friends. He will be missed and remembered with love. Aloha Jim… Love, Gina

Keeping the entire family in prayers. With sincere sympathy Joan Sinn

Deeply saddened to hear of your loss, Terryl. I'm here for you.

So sorry for you loss. James was such a sweet man. Sending love and prayers your way.

What a great life Jim lived! Have not seen him since high school, would liked to have known him as an adult. All condolences and hope for perpetual memories.

Terryl, I sorry to learn about the loss of your partner.

So sorry for your loss!

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this most difficult time. I know he will be missed by all his friends and family. When a Loved One becomes a Memory-- The Memory then becomes a Treasure With love and caring..