James Valere Anderson's Obituary
We regret to inform all who knew and loved him that James Valere Anderson, known to his family as Jimmy and his friends as Jim, passed away in Detroit on Sept. 11, 2016 at the young age of 29 years. We will miss Jimmy dearly. We loved him and he loved us back. He was a bright light in our lives with his ubiquitous smile, his easy humor, and his big, crazy laugh when he got going. We knew Jimmy as an inquisitive and imaginative boy, always dragging some specimen home from the woods or waterways. We knew him as an accomplished baseball player growing up; he could knock the cover off the ball and play with the best of them. And we knew Jimmy as an avid fisherman, perhaps the metaphor for his life. He seemed always searching below the surface….
Raised in Moorestown, Jimmy took up residence in Warren, Michigan in 2012 at the home of his Great Uncle Norm, whom he loved. He became a proud and accomplished member of the storied Detroit Millwrights Local 1102 – “Jersey Jim,” they dubbed him - tooling and re-tooling the auto plants of that great industrial hub once worked by his grandparents. He loved fishing the trout, steelhead, and salmon of the Pere Marquette River. He sank roots in the Michigan “Glove,” with a bright career and a girlfriend named Molly Cowan, whom he loved dearly. He always looked forward to coming back home, though. He loved seeing immediate family and hanging out with his long-time Jersey buddies, tailgating an Eagles game, or catching a Phils game, no matter how miserable they were playing. And then there were those fabled Poconos campouts with his friends.
Jimmy leaves behind his loving mother Dana Olivarez (formerly Demuynck); father, Bob Olivarez; and sister, Julia. Jimmy is predeceased by his sister Jenna. He also leaves behind his grandmother, Roberta Olivarez and the many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and co-workers who cherished him.
Jimmy’s time with us was short, but full. We invite family and friends to share in a Celebration of Jimmy’s Life on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Hope Community Church, 235 W. Main St., Moorestown, NJ, 08057, beginning at 10:00 a.m. An 11:30 a.m. memorial service at the Church will take place, followed by his burial at Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson, NJ. The much-appreciated funeral arrangements for Jimmy are being handled by the Snover Givnish Funeral Home of Cinnaminson, NJ. Please visit their Tribute page for Jimmy at http://www.givnishfuneralhome.com/obituaries/ and leave your thoughts.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jimmy’s name may be made to animal shelters that brought Jimmy his beloved furry friends: Cat Tail Acres Sanctuary in Shelby Twp., MI at http://www.cattailacres.com/donate.html and Friends of the Burlington County Animal Shelter, Mt. Laurel, NJ at http://www.friendsofbcas.org/ways-help/donate.
What’s your fondest memory of James ?
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Share a story where James 's kindness touched your heart.
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