James Francis Kondrick

Kondrick, James Francis (83) passed away at hospice in his home at Edina West Condominiums, Edina Minnesota at 2:51 am on Thursday, October 9, 2014. His spouse Sandra Benitez was at his side and during all his suffering with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. (Please don't smoke.) Jim or Jamesy Waimsey, as his wife and many friends called him familiary, was born on September 5, 1931, in St Mary's Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jim was the son of Anna Lucy Baloga and Lawrence A. Kondrick, emigrants from Czechoslovakia. He is also preceded in death by seven siblings, Jim being the last born of eight. Also passing away before him was his first wife Paule Josctte Vin Kondrick, of Eaubonne, France. He is survived by his second wife Sandra Ables Benitez Kondrick ("He was the love of my life."), his children, Laura Suzanne Kondrick, Christopher (Maureen/Mo) H. Kondrick, Denise (Joe) Francois Kondrick Rud; By his grandchildren: sons of Christopher Kondrick: Dillon (Sarah) Kondrick ) and Cy Kondrick. By his step-sons, Christopher (Karen) Title and Jonathon (Nancy) Title. By his grandsons Harper Henry Title and Dashiell Darwin Title; grand-daughters, Lila Susana and Vivian Patricia Title. Sandy's Jamesy Waimsey, lived a full and eventful life. He was educated at De La Salle High School, the University of Minnesota, BA in Journalism and Mexico City College where he pursued his Masters Degree in Political Science. He was a member of the United States Army, receiving basic training at Camp Attenbury, Indiana, and Camp Carson, CO. He served in the United States Army Signal Corp, in Verdun, France. Jim had a long history of employment in the communication arts business, working as an advertising copywriter at Cenex, St. Paul, MN, the Racine Journal Times and WRJN as a news reporter, in Racine, Wl. He also worked at Willis and Borg Advertising, Gold Bond Stamp Company, Modern Medicine Publications, Communication Arts, where he was part owner and producer of Audio Visual Programing. His longest employment was at Wilson Learning Corporation in Edina, MN where he was Director of the International Division, and program producer with Larry Wilson, founder of Wilson Learning who preceded Jim in death. Jim began his free-lance writing career in 1978 as the founder of Three Eagles, an international translation company, and then Kondrick, Incorporated where he wrote for various internationally known companies, principally 3M Corporation. Jim was in addition an inventor, his main contribution was the word game Palabra which he invented because of his love in playing the card game Solitaire. Palabra was distributed and played throughout the United States. It is now available online as Palabra for Windows 8 and published by Four Friends Games. Sandy's Jamsey also was the first reader of her four novels and her one memoir. ("How can I now put down a word without you, my darling...."). He served her also as an eagle-eyed editor, allowing her to produce the best that she could write. ("Better me, than a publishing editor," he frequently told Sandy. Who then always replied, "Yes, but give kudos as well", which he did.) He became Sandy's everlasting cheerleader and championing fan. Jim is also survived by his many nephews and nieces and their children of Minneapolis, Oregon, California, Nevada and Missouri, by Sandy's beloved sister Anita and Dr. Carlos Emilio Alvarez and their children and grandchildren. By Jim's loved and loyal friends Peter (Peter the Great) Wittig, Betts Rogers, Eddie and Mary Bock, Larry and Edis Risser and Ron Chastain and his late wife Lyle, and others too numerous to mention. Also not to be left out was his pal and pet, Sancho Panza Benitez, his bengal cat who followed him everywhere and lay under his hospital bed until the moment Jim passed away. Jim will be remembered by his knowledge and intelligence of political and news events, by is writing skill and his often biting wit. Memorials preferred to the Loft Literary Center, Mpls, MN or Minnesota Public Radio. Celebration of his life will occur Saturday, October 18, 2014, 11 AM with visitation 1 hour prior to service at: www.Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996 West 50th St. & Hwy 100

Tributes

James Francis Kondrick

October 9, 2014

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203