James "Jim" Francis David Love, Sr.

It is rumored there is a no creature quite as stubborn as a Missouri mule. My mother will attest that on 8/8/34 in Springfield Missouri, The finest specimen of a Missouri mule was brought into this world and named: James Francis David Love.

The stubbornness of a Missouri mule may seem an insult, However, when you combine it with a heart and soul, like my fathers, you get an unstoppable force for good.

As a young boy, Jim grew up near the James River in Missouri, where he and his dog Dixie would trap game and fish to help support the family. Later in grade school, Jim helped work on family farms before and after school. One year the family was in need of a milk cow, so it was arranged for Jim to work the entire summer on a farm to pay off a cow.

Jim had a fondness for sports and competition. As a young man when working at a cousin’s lumber mill he and the guys would take breaks to play baseball, using a stick as a bat and bottle caps as balls. Jim’s work at the Lumbermill was different mostly because he was the only one who could do “numbers”.

Jim attended Arkansas university, where he earned a degree in mathematics, and at least two other important things happened :

1.He went on scholarship for boxing were he had great success until one day during a fight an opponent was greatly injured. He did not box again at least not competitively.

2.He was assigned to a speech class, where the instructor was adamant about changing Jim’s speech from that of a “hillbilly”. Jim did not like this, but later in life, said that the instructor made a huge impact on his life.

Jim moved to Lake Wales, Florida with his parents and brothers where he worked at the Donald Duck orange juice plant while completing the requirements to become an educator. Jim wanted to be a teacher as he felt it was the noblest of professions.

Jim, Taught math up to Pre-Calculus at frostproof Junior Senior high school for 35 years, coached many school sports, was the faculty advisor for many school clubs, including the pep club, taught computer programming at night school, and help individuals in the community who did not complete high school earn their GED.

Later in his career, Jim went back to college to complete a masters degree in mathematics. During this time, while still working as a teacher he helped engineers at various companies when they had trouble with mathematical solutions. Jim also taught a particularly flirtatious student who would wink at him during class to make him blush. Later in life once the student finished college they dated and were married. Jim had only one wife in his life who he loved for 48 years and even when the dementia took the name Carol from him, he still lovingly referred to her as wife.

Jim and Carol Love had four boys, James Jr., Tony, Daniel, and Fred. Jim was a very active father despite the numerous things that he did for the school and community. He involved his children in sports and coached or help coach most of the teams his children played on. When Jim decided to invest in rental properties, he taught his sons carpentry,electrical,plumbing,roofing and basically anything else that needed done. Jim did not believe in paying someone to do something when he could figure out how to do it. His main reason for the investment in the rental properties was so that his children would always have a house to live in.

Jim loved to sing and play guitar. He wrote several songs and would often sing in the car with the family. One song that Jim wrote was called “telephone pole”. This song was used to teach his young boys multisyllable words. One of his favorite songs to sing in the car was “old rugged Cross” and near the end of his time his favorite was “I’ll fly away”.

Jim loved to go fishing, and once he had a family he would load us up every year for a week or two to go to the Florida Keys where he taught all his boys to snorkel, fish, and dive for lobster.

During Jim’s retirement years he kept busy keeping up rental properties, tending to a small herd of cattle, and spending as much time as possible with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Jim is a Christian so though we may miss his physical presence we take joy and find comfort knowing he is with his savior and we will one day see him again in heaven. Jim and Carol raised their boys to be Christians teaching them in children’s church and Jim lead a local chapter of royal rangers. Jim taught his children about the love of God and how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The family looks forward to one day being reunited together in heaven.

Jim was proceeded in death by his brothers, John W. Love, Don Love, and Bob Love. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Carol Ann Love; sons, James Francis David Love, Jr. and wife Mary Beth of Sebring; Tony K. Love and wife Spring of Sebring, Daniel W. Love of Frostproof, and Fred R. Love and wife Diana of Frostproof; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild on the way.

An adults only visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. with a visitation open to all families following from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 17, 2023 at Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Frostproof. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 18, 2023 at First Baptist Church of Frostproof with Rev. Darrol Hood officiating.

Condolences can be sent to the family at www.marionnelsonfuneralhome.com .

In Lew of flowers the family request you write a letter,the length of your choosing, about how Jim affected your life and submit to the above reference web address.