The services for Alki Lumber owner Jim Sweeney were held Sept. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe church and the event was so crowded those in attendance said they had never seen the church so full, with estimates of more than 850 people attending the event. Sweeney, long time owner of Alki Lumber passed away Feb. 5.

Out of respect for the Sweeney family the Herald did not report on the church service but the reception that followed at the Hall at Fauntleroy was a genuine celebration of memories of a man many called a "Pillar of his family and the community."

The West Seattle Herald spoke to some of Jim Sweeney's friends and family about him.

"Jim was always trying to get me into some of these political projects," said former port commissioner Jack Block," like the viaduct. But I told Jim that the only thing I'd get involved in was something I could see in my lifetime. We were good neighbors, and he was a good guy."

Jack Miller, owner of Husky Deli knew Jim and said," Jim was an incredible man. He was the most honest, generous businessman. I mean everybody loved him, everybody. As a businessman I have total respect for him. He was just so sweet. We're all going to miss him. Everybody is, and you can tell by how many people are here."

Jim's wife Judy was kind enough to talk about the event honoring her husband saying, "My kids organized the whole thing, and I think they did a beautiful job. It touched my heart, it warmed my heart. I thought it was beautiful. I've had this incredible support of so many loved ones and family. The church was packed."

Judy continued with a playful mention, "Father said he'd never done a bigger funeral and last week Jenny Gerimello died and I was kind of teasing Jerry and Denise (Jerry's her husband and Denise is their daughter) that there's a big competition between the Sweeney's and the Gerimello funerals. I think we won."

"I'm heavy hearted but you've got to make the best of it and this is the rest of my life. It's totally altered. Jim provided for me well. I'm going to be fine, just lonesome." Referring to her family and friends she said, "That's truly what is holding me up I think. But Father talked about the places where you see God. (...) Jim, he was a good man. He never said an unkind thing about people. You couldn't get him to get into the low down and dirty because he didn't do it. He was just always kind. My niece Mary says he was a quiet man. I say he was a humble man. He never wanted anything for himself. It was all about his friends and his family, everything.

"He was our pillar," said Debbie McCambridge a niece in law to Sweeney.

Todd Carden, owner of Elliott Bay Brew Pub knew Jim and would often see him come to the restaurant with others and talk about ideas and plan. "He was one of those kind of guys that did business on a napkin. He'd come in and sit down with his guys and they'd start doing business and ideas were flowing and he was always asking for more napkins."

Jim's younger sister Karen said, "My dad died when I was ten years old and he was a real community man. His funeral was standing room only. My brother was the most wonderful guy in the whole wide world. He was like a dad to me in a lot of ways. I don't usually say that very often but I've been saying it lately. Like Aunt Judy said, she didn't realize the community loved him so much. I think I always did though. He was just such a wonderful man. Everything they've said about how he would talk to young people, 'don't spend your money, save it.'

She related a story about a point just before her marriage when Jim offered some advice. "My brother gave us some money and he said, 'Now don't go out and buy a Mercedes' and I talked to him about it just about six months ago and I said, 'Jim, you told us not to buy a Mercedes when you gave us that money and we didn't', and he was really glad to hear that."