Editor's Note: Westmont Trustee and former mayor James Addington died on July 18. He was 75. Former Westmont Village Manager Ray Botch remembers his close friend and colleague as a man who loved Westmont, his family, the Lion's Club, Westmont High School basketball and Notre Dame football. Botch served as Westmont village manager from 1985 to 2004.

Westmont lost an icon with the passing of James Addington. He is truly deserving of the title Mr. Westmont.

I first met Big Jim in 1985 when he was chairman of Mayor Frank Bellerive’s village manager selection committee. Over the next 35 years, our friendship grew to a brotherhood. We had a close knit group of Jim, Police Chief Richard Metzger, Fire Chief Frank Trout, Steve Watson, Bill Wilson and me. Even after retirement, we stayed in touch.

Our group made an annual golf pilgrimage to Mt.Vernon. My Westmont golfers really fit in with the Mt.Vernonites.

Jim formed a close friendship with Mt.Vernon Mayor Rolland Lewis. When Addington was sworn in as president of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference, Lewis, who was president of the Illinois Municipal League, made the trip to DuPage County to honor Addington.

JIim was full of love. His primary loves were his family, Westmont, the Lion's Club, Westmont High School basketball and Notre Dame football.

Cathy and Jim’s were the innovators of the Taste of Westmont and Westmont’s 75th Anniversary celebration. Additionally, the Addington family was the force behind the many years of Pow Wow Days. His children, Lisa and James Jr., cut their teeth working Pow Wow Days with mom, dad and the grandparents. Jim and the Addingtons put on the yearly Lion’s Carnival. I referred to Jim as Westmont’s head carney.

Jim loved Westmont and was always looking after its residents. He considered the village employees family. It was fun to come to work. He was a can-do person. Bellerive put Addington in charge of providing paramedic service for Westmont and Mayslake Village. He loved the Mayslake residents and played Santa Claus at their annual Christmas party.

As mayor, he started Westmont Main Street, which was a model for the suburbs. He was responsible for the Public Safety Center on North Cass Avenue. In 1994, he was host to the defending World Cup Champion German soccer team during their stay at Oakbrook Hills. He had an opportunity to dine with German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Olympic Ice Skating Gold Medalist Katarina Witt.

His third love involves the Lion’s Club, Notre Dame football and the Westmont High School basketball. He has held many Lion’s Club offices and won many awards.

Jim loved his Westmont Sentinel basketball team and travelled with the team on occasions.

Jim and I were huge Notre Dame football fans. We travelled to South Bend several times to watch the Fighting Irish and visit Touchdown Jesus.

When we were in Mt.Vernon we visited a bar named Pro’s. The owner, Terry Bradshaw, was a gifted singer and would entertain his customers. As soon as we walked in the door, he would yell over the loud speaker, “Big Jim is in the House.”

Terry passed away last year.

Imagine if you will on Saturday July 18, 2020, as the Pearly Gates are opening, there is Terry singing with the angels. He stops mid hymn and yells: “Big Jim is in the house.”