My apologies for the delay in posting this. Jim Meister passed away the day before Thanksgiving. I was afraid that if I posted about it at that time that it would be overlooked due to the holidays, and the Maryland game. The next thing I knew, recruiting was going crazy, so I kept postponing making a post about the passing of Jim.
Jim was a great guy who loved PSU, and loved PSU students. After retiring as a business executive, he moved to the State College area and worked as an assistant to Tim Curley. Basically, his job was to market the seats in the South Endzone addition (mostly the club seats), and he did a great job of that.
He served as president of the Quarterback Club, and was a founding member of the Bryce Jordan Center. He also served as mentor to Smeal College students.
One of the things that was most special about Jim was the role he played in giving out scholarships to PSU students. The fraternity he had been a member of while a student at PSU had shut down their chapter at PSU (I forget which frat it was). However, former members of the frat, or their families in memory of former frat members, established annual scholarships for PSU students. Jim was in charge of the scholarship process, and in so doing helped to maintain great connections between the recipients of the scholarships, and the alumni members of the frat, or their families. (The recipients had to write a letter each year to the recipient, or their family, explaining how they had done that year, and how the scholarship had helped them.) Earlier this decade, the frat sold their former frat house to another frat, which greatly increased the amount of scholarship money that they were able to distribute to PSU students.
Jim and his wife, Janet (whom he met at PSU), also hosted memorable tailgates at PSU games. All attendees were assigned items to bring, and it was a well-run operation. I always made it a point to stop by their tailgate when I was at PSU for a football game. I met Lion's Den member @Doctori at Jim's tailgate. @Doctori had provided me with some excellent recommendations of restaurants on Sanibel Island many years ago (in response to a post I had made on BWI's boards), so it was nice to put a face to the individual that had been so helpful, and who also had a great track record of posts on BWI over the years.
Jim's final years were kind of frustrating for his family and for him. His mind remained as sharp as it had always been, but his body was starting to fail him. He had knee or hip issues (I forget which one) that limited his mobility, and due to kidney issues he was scheduled to start dialysis a few days after he passed away.
Some of you may have dealt with Jim over the years. I know @BWI PHIL GROSZ knew Jim. Whether you dealt with him or not, he was quite a mover and shaker behind the scenes, and gave a lot back to Penn State.
His obituary can be found at THIS LINK.
Jim was a great guy who loved PSU, and loved PSU students. After retiring as a business executive, he moved to the State College area and worked as an assistant to Tim Curley. Basically, his job was to market the seats in the South Endzone addition (mostly the club seats), and he did a great job of that.
He served as president of the Quarterback Club, and was a founding member of the Bryce Jordan Center. He also served as mentor to Smeal College students.
One of the things that was most special about Jim was the role he played in giving out scholarships to PSU students. The fraternity he had been a member of while a student at PSU had shut down their chapter at PSU (I forget which frat it was). However, former members of the frat, or their families in memory of former frat members, established annual scholarships for PSU students. Jim was in charge of the scholarship process, and in so doing helped to maintain great connections between the recipients of the scholarships, and the alumni members of the frat, or their families. (The recipients had to write a letter each year to the recipient, or their family, explaining how they had done that year, and how the scholarship had helped them.) Earlier this decade, the frat sold their former frat house to another frat, which greatly increased the amount of scholarship money that they were able to distribute to PSU students.
Jim and his wife, Janet (whom he met at PSU), also hosted memorable tailgates at PSU games. All attendees were assigned items to bring, and it was a well-run operation. I always made it a point to stop by their tailgate when I was at PSU for a football game. I met Lion's Den member @Doctori at Jim's tailgate. @Doctori had provided me with some excellent recommendations of restaurants on Sanibel Island many years ago (in response to a post I had made on BWI's boards), so it was nice to put a face to the individual that had been so helpful, and who also had a great track record of posts on BWI over the years.
Jim's final years were kind of frustrating for his family and for him. His mind remained as sharp as it had always been, but his body was starting to fail him. He had knee or hip issues (I forget which one) that limited his mobility, and due to kidney issues he was scheduled to start dialysis a few days after he passed away.
Some of you may have dealt with Jim over the years. I know @BWI PHIL GROSZ knew Jim. Whether you dealt with him or not, he was quite a mover and shaker behind the scenes, and gave a lot back to Penn State.
His obituary can be found at THIS LINK.
