A Passion for Music

Some time ago Jim told his daughter Lauren that he was making a playlist to mark his own death, and that it would be her duty to make sure it played at his memorial service. They often laughed about this morbid assignment, until the playlist suddenly became all too useful.

At UNH, Jim and his friends bonded over our mutual love for the music of the era — R.E.M., Squeeze, the Smiths — mixed with a healthy dose of reggae. Later, after living in Atlanta and North Carolina, Jim grew partial to some of the great songwriters in country music and Americana, including Willie Nelson, John Prine, Lyle Lovett, and Brandi Carlile. The songs he chose for his own service were one bright spot on an otherwise very sad day.