James "Jim" Schlarb

Jim Schlarb passed away unexpectedly of a stroke on Thursday the 26th day of July. He was only 43 years old.Jim was born in Seattle on February 4th, 1964 but spent most of his life in Olympia. He graduated from Capital High School in 1982. After graduation he worked as an auto parts store manager, dappled in real estate, but tired of the wet weather in the Northwest and headed to Florida where he found his true calling… computers. After becoming certified as a computer technician in Florida, he eventually he returned to Olympia to be near his mother and received his Associates of Arts degree in Computer Information Systems and Support from Puget Sound Community College. He was a devoted volunteer for the Thurston County Food Bank and recently built a computer system to track client visits, in-kind donations, and volunteer hours. Jim is survived by his mother, Joni, and will be best remembered as her devoted son, best friend, and closest companion. He also leaves behind a very close extended family, many friends and neighbors, and a pet cat Samantha. Jim was tireless in his willingness to help people. He was a faithful, loyal friend who nurtured his long-term relationships and remained close to many school friends. He also created new friendships and became the neighborhood fix-it man, offering his time to anyone who was in need of a computer wiz or ace mechanic. You could often find him sitting at his keyboard, fixing a car, or riding his much-loved motorcycle. Mixed with his quick wit and sharp sense of humor, it was always an adventure to be around Jim. He was unpredictable and could be outrageously funny yet also deeply intellectual and analytical. He had strong political views, was extremely intelligent, articulate, and could carry on a long discussion or debate. He was deeply compassionate and concerned about where the world was headed, but always debated with consideration of others viewpoints. Jim was a fan of music and had broad, eclectic tastes. He was extremely well read, enjoyed watching documentaries, and was a huge Black Adder fan. Some of his favorite TV shows were Dr Who, Bill Moyer and Jon Stewart. Jim was second to none when it came to lending a helping hand, being a good friend and overall great person. The most important part of his life was his mother, who loved him with all her heart and lived each day for him. Jim was very loved and will be terribly missed.