Submitted by Family.
Jim Wells lived a unique life filled with joy, beautiful places, and spread positivity every where he went. Even on the darkest days he would shine light towards something to be learned. He was a father, 1 of 2 founders of the Green and Purple Kitchen, and spent many years rigging concerts and events all around the United States. his work behind the scenes brought happiness to hundreds of thousands of people. If you’ve attended a show at the gorge, wamu theatre, Tacoma dome, Yakima sundome, or Everett arena, there’s a good chance that he worked many hours to make that show possible. He loved his job, almost as much as he loved feeding people & sharing stories of his travels.
He left this world surrounded by those he loved, while doing what he loved the most.
His legacy continues through his daughters, stagehands, rainbow family. All of whom miss him, indescribably.
He is missed
Condolences to his family
Miss you brother every day, hope your at rest and peace wherever your at
Wow! I just met him and worked with him at the Nutcracker at Redmond High School a couple months ago! He seemed like a very kind man. I’m saddened to read this and I send my deepest condolences..
The nickname “TOK” caught my eye immediately….very unusual. I would really like to know its origins.
I said it caught me eye….because that word has a history….WORLD WAR I: “Toc H is an abbreviation of “Talbot House”, Toc signifying the letter T in British Army signallers’ code (a.k.a., ‘Tango’ in the US Military). Talbot House is located in Poperinge, (or “Pops” as the first world war soldiers called it ), Belgium, a few miles from Ypres. It was a busy transfer station where troops, on their way to and from the battlefields of Flanders, were billeted.”
It’s origins….”In 1915, an army chaplain called Reverend Phillip Byard (Tubby) Clayton was instructed by his senior chaplain, Neville Talbot, to set up some sort of rest house for the troops. A suitable property was found which was named Talbot House in memory of Neville Talbot’s brother Lieutenant Gilbert W L Talbot who was killed on the Ypres Salient in 1915.”
Its usage…..”For most of the Great War Talbot House offered an oasis of sanity to the men passing through Poperinge. Not only could they socialise but Tubby also organised debates and concerts. Men could post messages for their missing comrades and hope they too might stop at Talbot House and see them. What was clear though was that the Talbot House promoted a special feeling of fellowship with those who rested there awhile.”
“Talbot House was a soldiers’ club for all, regardless of rank. A notice was hung by the front door which read ‘All rank abandon, ye who enter here’. Talbot house had lovely gardens, there was a chapel and a library. Eventually a neighbouring storehouse was also used, which became known as ‘The Concert Hall’ where concerts, movies, debates and lectures were held.”
FYI….I am an amateur WWI historian and have been studying that particular period of history since 1974, so that is why I reacted to your posting. And, based on your description of Jim ‘Tok’ Wells, I believe there is somehow a similarity between him & the WWI Reverend Talbot.
Photos & other info about “Tok H” can be found at this website:
https://rhylhistoryclub.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/toc-h-and-world-war-1/