Jim died peacefully at home in New Paltz on Saturday, July 19th, with his longtime companion Kristin Crawford at his side.
Born February 19th,1939 in County Roscommon, Ireland, to Gretta Padian Sheridan and James Sheridan, Jim grew up in Windy Arbour, South Dublin. His first job was delivering bottles of milk early in the morning, running alongside the horse-drawn carriage. At fourteen he went to work in England, digging gas lines, with pick and shovel. Back in Ireland, he traveled with Star Amusements Carnival between Dublin and Belfast and learned to set up, run, and break down the rides. He always said that was where he acquired some of the skills that served him his whole life, such as having to figure out on the spot how to make things work no matter what.
At age 17, Jim came to New York. He made his way to Long Island, where he worked at a golf course and met Karla, whom he married. Together they had two children, Heather and James (Bodhi). At Entenmann’s Bakery, Jim became the union rep. and fought for equal pay for women. By 1969 he had found his way to the Lower East Side and was driving a taxi when he picked up some passengers who were college students needing to get back to New Paltz. Jim fell in love with this area, moved into the Red House, and worked as a bartender at The Homestead. Later he was the outside foreman for Minnewaska and lived at Cliff House, with a view of the lake and the Catskills beyond. After work he would dive off the cliff and swim the whole length of Lake Minnewaska.
Jim had boundless energy and enthusiasm, and many adventures along the way. He was strong until the end and relished hard work. He even took on building a house from scratch at age 70 (something he had never done before). He threw his whole heart into it and created a unique and magical home out of straw bales. Even this past year, he raked all the leaves and shoveled the snow.
A quiet, unassuming man, Jim was a free thinker who did not like to be confined. He had a generous, expansive spirit and was never skimpy. He loved to cook. He made pizza with tart green apple slices on top, killer chocolate cakes, miniature cranberry tarts. He loved to walk in the mountains and swim in the cold mountain streams, cutting a hole in the ice for a dip in winter. He loved to tease, make people laugh, and to sing, especially mournful Irish ballads. He was forever homesick for Ireland.
Jim was always making things, out of wood, stone, copper. He harvested birch bark, grape vines, acorns, lichen to adorn photos of people he loved. He had no pretensions whatsoever. He was an artist who would object to anyone calling him that. Jim had a dignity all his own.
Jim was predeceased by his parents and siblings Mari and Tommy, and by his dear friend, Phyllis Crawford. He is survived by his children, Heather Sheridan of Long Island, and Bodhi Land of Hawaii, and by his sister, Judy Sheridan Glynn of Dublin, and all of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. For now Kristin continues to traverse the rocky road with the deepest appreciation for beloved Jim Sheridan.
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