DECEMBER 22, 1966 - AUGUST 18, 2020
I AM JAMES
THE LAST DANCE
James Herb Monroe, Jr.
Thursday, September 17, 2020 seven o'clock in the evening Eastern Time ​four o'clock in the afternoon Pacific Time Join us: https://remembering.zoom.us/j/6659071920 ​​Audio only? From the US: +1 (646) 558-8656 Our Meeting ID: 6659071920 ​​One click dialing: +1 646 558 8656, 6659071920#
I Am jimmy
James Herb Monroe Jr., born brown and brilliant, December 22, 1966, was gifted to the world by James Monroe and Vernita Mitchell. While living in Waterbury, Connecticut, he grew tall, lean, handsome, and athletic. After high school, James left home to make his mark on the world.
He had the best jobs: Sony, Disney, NASCAR, Intel.
Dated the most beautiful women: “Lisa, Angela, Pamela, Renee I love you, you’re from around the way”. He owned the biggest heart, the best laugh, and the brightest smile.
He selflessly gave his friends and family 53 years of practical advice, spirited debate, and unlimited love. August 18, 2020, he left his love for those who loved him and donated what remained of himself, to science.
He didn’t want to trouble anyone. He was an engineer. Practical. Logical. No fuss, no fanfare, just a gentle goodbye. Yet, those who mourn him, surrender to the illogical sensibilities of love and selfishly join together to celebrate the story of James.
WHAT YOU KNOW
James received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Brown University.
He earned an MBA from Stanford.
He has a brother named Kelly Monroe.
He has another brother, (no blood relation) named Lawrence Hasten.
He had many brothers, that were not related to him by blood.
He has a sister, that was not related to him by blood, named Michele.
He had many sisters, that were not related to him by blood.
James was an avid sports fan.
He loved the Dallas Cowboys.
He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
He loved going to Brazil.
He loved women.
He really loved women.
James was a nerd.
He ate healthy foods.
His favorite TV shows were, “Lost”, “Battlestar Galactica”, The Walking Dead” and “Power”.
He water-coolered his favorite shows with passion.
He loved Terrel Owens.
He was kind.
He had a world class laugh.
WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW
James had multiple scholarship offers to play college basketball.
He routinely beat the players from the Brown basketball team in pick-up games.
As a Corporate Strategist at Disney, he recommended that Disney buy Marvel Studios four years earlier while it was valued at $400 million. Disney ultimately paid $4 billion for Marvel Studios.
James was right about almost everything.
It took him five years to decide to go to Brazil.
He spent the rest of his life going to Brazil whenever he had an opportunity.
He created many opportunities to go to Brazil.
James almost didn’t go to Stanford because he was going to get married.
He was a mentor to his young cousin, Chandler.
His nickname was Jimmy.
He liked Demi Moore in the movie, Striptease, and Jennifer Lopez in Hustle.
His mother spent two years and eight months by his bedside.
He loved Snicker bars, chips, coca cola, and fried foods.
The job at Intel was his dream job.
The doctors gave James 12-18 months to live. He lived 32 months.
His ex-girlfriend, is a reality TV star. He nicknamed her, “Lil Nicky”.
Lil Nicky has been a main cast member on VH1’s reality show Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta, since it’s inception. James and his brother gave her, her stage name. That name is not mentioned here.
He loved Kobe, but he believed Jordan was better.
He loved children.
He liked Biggie, Snoop, 50 Cent, and Dr. Dre
He really, really loved women, but he quoted Snoop when referencing them.
Everyone in his life, believed he or she, was his favorite person.
He ended his journey, the way he began it…with his mother.
The last voice he heard was that of a friend, his favorite person.
The last words he heard were, “I love you”.
Christian Shephard : This is a place that you...that you all made together so that you could find one another. The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people on that island. That's why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you. (“Lost” The End (TV Episode 2010) – Matthew Fox as Dr. Jack Shepard
“Super Nintendo Sega Genesis, when I was dead broke, man I couldn’t picture this.” Biggie Smalls"
-Michele Dudley
Thoughts on James
shouldn’t have lost our friend James Monroe, not at 53, not with a heart that big and a mind so
beautiful. James was a Giving Tree and the memory of all the times we shared lends us a quiet place of
shade to rest. I think about him often these days...
What can I tell you about James that you don’t already know? I can tell you about the day we voted
together in the mid-term elections. About a week before November 6, 2018 James announced to me
that he had never voted. What?! This was a man who had enlightened, well research, wholly-
argumented opinions on just about everything, right? The biggest opine in our history together was that
NASCAR was not actually a sport. One he was fearless in voicing when we worked at yes, NASCAR.
In his opinion, drivers drove, they weren’t by definition athletes, exceptionally proficient in a form of
rigorous exercise (you can hear him, right?) He had a point, but we pointed out the many professional
outfielders, out of shape, standing around most of the game, chewing dip. We had a point. To which he
replied, “At some point, they run.” That was a typical day at NASCAR. Finding something to argue with
James as he loved being the official contrarian and took our constant razzing, because it was such great
fun to tease him, in stride. And we got to hear that laugh, that exceptional, delightful laugh. That laugh
brought us back again and again.
Let me go back a little. I met James in 2000 when we both worked for the same boss at Disney. I knew
James was a rising star immediately. I caught sight of his brilliance; he was a “shiny penny person”
…someone you just wanted to be around, someone you wanted to be your friend. We worked together
at Disney and then again at NASCAR. But it was NASCAR where the magic happened. I suppose we both
found ourselves working there for the same reason…we would have followed our boss Dick Glover to
the ends of the universe. Dick pulled together a great team, and James was his right-hand man. A deep
friendship developed among us as we traveled to races together, to NY for Champions Week and to
Daytona for the 500 every year. We were the “LA gang.” As much cachet as that afforded us, I’ll never
forget the one trip to Daytona where instead of going out and partying, much to the shock of all the
executives as they returned to the hotel after their night of carousing, to find us all gathered around the
big TV in the lobby watching Lost. That was our show. James loved that show. James dissected each
new episode every Friday morning. He had a million theories based on smart guy stuff that most of us
can only catch a tiny hold of. He had us captivated with his theories. He loved drama!
So that brings us back to 2018. How could this man who spent so many hours dissecting Lost, and
Battlestar Galactica and anything controversial have never voted? “We’re voting, James,” I told him.
“I’ll pick you up in the morning.” He, his mother Mitch and I went to our voting station in Studio City.
We stood for two hours, and it was then I first noticed the real toll his illness was taking on him and the
determination that man had. I knew he was tired, but this vote was important. We discussed all aspects
of the candidates, his pride swelled in taking part for the first time in this American life. He had a voice,
even if he didn’t know for how long and he was going to use it.
I recently read this quote:
“Everyone is so afraid of death but the real Sufis just laugh: nothing tyrannizes their hearts. What strikes
the oyster shell does not damage the pearl.” – Mevlana Rumi
James was so brave, so inspirational. I’ve heard many of his friends and family remark that James held
on to life twice as long as was expected and that he did that for us. James has always been a touchstone
of selflessness. Has there ever been a sweeter friend?
Diane Driscoll
Gallery
Charity
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
www.stjude.org
800-478-5833
Wounded Warrior Project
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
855-448-3997
Gallery
Special Thanks
Tandra Brown
Jena Cuffee
Diane Driscoll
Michele Dudley
Alex Evans
Dick Glover
Lawrence Hasten
Geoff Lester
Phil Metz
Andrea Nelson Meigs
Jodi Phillips
Jason Refuerzo
Gino Richardson
Mike Roggero
Melissa Saragosti
Brandi Swan
Nick van Dyk