Do you see what I mean

Time marches on and we have lost another of our jamming heroes.

I just learned that Harold Wittingham has passed away. When I came to this town I can honestly say that I didn't know anybody here. By the time I joined the Westman Jams I'd been in Brandon for over 10 years and I only knew one musician and had never gotten to know most anybody else, except the folks I knew from work.

I'm kinda a recluse and don't mingle easily with folks that I'm not familiar with. It's difficult to get to know people if you don't mingle and I had learned, as a youth, that folks don't like guys who may be a little over weight and have a weird name. That's when Judy Foster suggested that I ought to check out the Westman Jams. she said it was filled with people who played and sang music, just like me.

While at the jams, I made friends with a lot of musical folk and one of them was Harold Wittingham. I suppose that I didn't know his real name for quite a while because everybody there just called him J.R. Jammer. What made Harold stand out was his slapstick sense of humor. He'd come to jams wearing all kinds of hilarious costumes. I still chuckle when I think back to those outfits. Where'd he get all of those ideas? In this way he always stood out from the crowd.

I know that some folks will feel extremely sorrowful to hear of his passing, but I don't think that is what he'd want to be remembered by. He was constantly going to a lot effort to make folks smile and laugh and, when we remember him, that is what ought to come to us, a smile. In many ways he reminds me of my Uncle Nick. A wonderful musician, poet and song writer but, most of all, someone who strove to make folks smile. I try to broadcast a little of that in my own character. It may be the most helpful thing that I can offer to my friends.

To Harold Wittingham. May you be smiling, up there in heaven, while we do our best to carry on your legacy, down here below.

I am so very sorry to learn of Harold's passing (or "JR" as he was sometimes known in the Westman Jams circles). Harold was there when I first started coming to the jams and always made me feel welcome and at ease. At that time, he tended to simply enjoy playing in the background, but he was always front and center in helping to make those jams happen. I went looking and found an old edition of the Westman Jams newsletter where he was "musician of the month" and thought I would share.

And I don't blame him one little bit for not sharing butter tarts. Smart man! I hope there's a butter tart buffet on the side for him.

Sending care and wishes of ease to his family, Lil Bootsie, and all his friends and loved ones.

May the circle be unbroken...

Westman Jammers from all over southwestern Manitoba would like to send our sincere condolences

So sorry to learn of Harold's passing. Our sincere condolences to Christine, Wayne, Judy and family, Vicky,Ron and family. Harold was a life long friend. He would stop for a "spot of tea" and a visit at our apartment when we first got married and lived in town. He always had the best smile and distinctive laugh wherever we ran into him usually at Fraser's or some other auction sale. Knew everything about equipment and would always offer advice. Life doesn't seem fair somedays. Harold was truly one of a kind and a good person. Gone too soon for sure. Rest in peace my friend.