In Memory

James Wicklow VIEW PROFILE

James Wicklow died on 03-18-2017.  He is survived by his son Paul,and grandchildren, Devin, Patrick, Lilly,Annabelle, and Tara.

Proud grandpa who made time for each one. He was a tool and dye master craftsman for 4 decades. He was born in Belfast, N. Ireland and came to Oak Park as a teenager. Jimmy felt like he had landed in an Archies comic book. As a self taught musician, he loved taking trips to the South Side of Chicago and fully embraced the Blues. His favorite artist was Jimmy Reed, and all friends knew him as Jimmy. Call me Jimmy he would say. He is dearly missed and only imagine he’s having a reunion and playing the guitar up above with the likes of Chicago blues legends. We are sure he’s still playing acoustic guitar to Dire straits, Jimmy Paige and Pink Floyd and embracing the Universe.



 
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10/13/21 12:02 PM #1    

William Raysa

Thank you. From Bill Raysa

10/13/21 01:24 PM #2    

Doug Goodwillie

I had been told that Wick had passed on but never had any real confirmation. There were always long stretches when we didn't see him as he was sometimes back in Ireland. We sort of got accustomed to seeing him at extended intervals. and, though we missed him, always figured that at some point he'd show up.

Wick was a wonderful guy, with a huge sense of humor and was funny as hell himself! Laughing with Wick was big fun. He was a great friend!

Wick had Jerry Lee Lewis hair and it's amazing to me that he is gone & JLL is still around. I'm positive that Wick was a lot tougher than Jerry Lee.

Wick's great cultural contribution was discovering Give Me Love on Bert's juke box. It was the B side of Angel Baby by Rosie & The Originals. Great unknown flip side! It's finally on Spotify on their 2021 Beyond the Angels album. Wick would cue it up and do his famous side slapping Teddy Bear dance in front of the juke box which would always make my day. Play it one time for Wick!

Hope the fishing is good up there Buddy! See you somewhere sometime!

 


10/14/21 11:56 AM #3    

Diane Magliochetti (Wollney)

Jimmy - cool hair, clothes, accent and very handsome. He was Mr Cool personified and so much fun. So happy to hear he had such joy in life. 


10/15/21 04:15 PM #4    

Chris W Karr

So you were the guy who always made us smile. You left for Northern Ireland from time to time, but we knew you would always show up again.  Wick, you were a great friend and will be missed. RIP. 


12/14/21 09:47 PM #5    

Bill Ring

This bad news about my near and dear friend hurt so much that it took me months to add a comment. Jim and I worked after school and Sat. at a meat packing plant. After work we used fake I.D.s to go to South Side Blues bars. {The way Chicago is these days I wouldn't go within miles of those joints, even in broad daylight.]  It was a culture thing that we teased him that he dribbled a basketball like a 6 year old girl but when he put that ball on the ground and used his feet soccer style no one could take it from him. I owned a modified fastback Volvo that set National time and speed drag race records. John Champagne {RIP} said it "is the wildest looking thing I've ever seen" so Jim climbed in, started it, reved it, floored it, popped the clutch and power shifted through all 4 on the floor gears, burning rubber on the first 3 gears. He couldn't dribble but he could drive, joke, share wild music conversation, and be a great friend. I plan on living many more years(don't we all?} but when my time comes and "I'm Climbing That Stairway To Heaven", I can look forward to seeing my buddy again.  Bill Ring


12/15/21 02:40 PM #6    

Dale Steffens

I remember the Freeze Bank too, Bill. Making deliveries in the Robert Taylor Homes on the south side and into the far western suburbs singing rock and country music at the top of our lungs. Jim was a serious worker. Any project we did he took over. He limited my participation to grunt work. He was also a great musician. Many good memories of him playing guitar with Dennis Kissane and how excited  Doug Goodwillie was when Jim walked in with his guitar to an informal jam session at Doug's and started right in with some Freddy King rythems. One day when he was playing Sultans of Swing some passerbys heard him playing and rushed up to his apartment and begged him to join their band. And you're right Doug he was tough . On a Canadian fishing trip Jim, Joe Accardo and I were standing near a waterfall fishing and Jim was catching all the fish so he let us try his spot. We caught nothing. Next he gave us his pole, still nothing. When he went back to his spot he immediately started catching again. We always talked about Jim on our fishing trips since then but for whatever reason were not able to connect. When talking about it with my son he said to really pursue it and make him an offer he couldn't refuse. Shortly thereafter I was talking to Pete Mavrelis about it and got the bad news. See your friends while you can. 


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