James Edward Sohmer

Jim was born 10 February 1940 in rural western New York State, Wayne County. Apple country.

His mother, a firm Christian of Baptist/ Methodist background, introduced Jim to Jesus Christ as a toddler. It was in this context, and the events of World War II, that Jim's priorities in life were set, and have led him ever since.

Jim graduated from High School in 1958 learning years later the profoundness of this year in the life of the Catholic Church.

He graduated from Colgate University in 1963 with a 4-year BA degree in Political Science and International Relations, together with a strong dose of economics. During the course of these years, to make a long story short, Jim became an Agnostic, putting the entire transcendent discussion "in park". He recognized that if the Christian message had any merit, it would have to be through the Catholic Church.

He considered the way the United States involved itself in Southeast Asia, especially after the American provoked assassination of President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam, a solid Catholic, as
President John F. Kennedy was also alleged to be, to be misguided on several levels. He was never an anti-war activist, however prayed for American reconciliation within itself after the last helicopter lifted off the embassy roof in Saigon on April 23, 1975.

In 1979 Jim left New York State and relocated to Colorado. In 1989 he relocated to Jefferson, in South Park. In February of 1980 he joined Martin-Marietta in Littleton and worked for them through the whole decade deeply involved in a major military defense program. With the colfapse of the Soviet Union, many defense contracts were canceled, and at age 50, Jim found himself on the street. No regrets: the cold war was over, or so it was alleged.

In any event, Jim chose to drive big trucks, and came to do so for 17 years and about 1.8 million miles through all the lower 48 states. He got to know the United States in that way very well; this was the greatest reward of the experience. It was during this time on the road, with plenty of time to think about things in solitude, that Jim rediscovered God and Jesus Christ. He developed an increasing interest in the Catholic Church.

In 2007 he came back home to South Park. Lied to so many times by so many people, he searched for the beginning of things, the original of whatever it was. No more time for nonsense. Eventually this trip led to an ongoing reconciliation with an understanding of the Traditional Apostolic Roman Catholic Petrine Church, itself in the modern era seemingly tom asunder by worldly "modernism".

Jim leaves behind a brother in New York, and two daughters and two grandsons in North Carolina.

Those desiring to make donations are encouraged to do so to any non-profit group advocating for right to life from conception to end of life. The following are suggested possibilities

"And Then There Were None" which assists repentant abortion workers to escape from their work, especially Planned Parenthood. Abby Johnson, Founder   888-570-5501 https://abortionworker.com/

Also: Colorado Right to Life http://www.coloradorighttolife.org/     888-888-2785

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James Edward Sohmer, please visit our floral store.