Birth date: Mar 23, 1954 Death date: Nov 18, 2024
Mr. James Van Ness, age 70, of Spring Lake passed away Monday, November 18, 2024 after a long battle with cancer. He was born May 23, 1954, in Lansing to Seward and Maureen (Schuett) Van Ness. In 1979, he married Cynthia Bingham a Read Obituary
I had no idea Woody had passed. My husband and him were best friends in highschool and we used to hang around together often. Woody was always the “cool” friend. Greg Cox recently passed so hopefully they’re reconnecting and reminiscing the good times at Okemos High School together.
Cheri Cox
I knew Jim through Paw Paw Wine Distributors. Upon meeting, I thought he looked and sounded like Dustin Hoffman. We became friends while discussing books, social issues, animals, and politics. He was sharp, a little old-fashioned, and principled. When the company closed down in January 2020, we stayed in touch over email and phone calls. I was grateful for his regular emails, checking in and sharing what was happening. He was someone I could chat about my week to, rant about politics, explore social histories, or share life's troubles with. He was a great supporter and encourager. Witty, acerbic, yet heartfelt, he was my kind of friend. He sent boxes of books in the mail for me, VHS tapes for my kids (which they had no idea what to do with and made me feel old), and I sent him cookies and pictures of my growing family.
I'm going to miss him and his stories tremendously. Many condolences to his wife and daughter.
