When he died, Crumley was surrounded by family and friends, including his wife, Martha Elizabeth, and Missoula author and county emergency services director Bob Reid.
“We were friends in the fullest sense,” Reid said. “I admired him for many things. He always kind of had this off-kilter way of looking at things - different than what you would imagine. He had a real hard-nosed exterior, yet at the same time he was patient and understanding of many different things and many different people.”
Crumley has published 11 novels, taught at universities across the country and worked in Hollywood for several years. Famous for his hard-boiled mysteries, his works include “One to Count Cadence,” (a novel about Vietnam) “The Last Good Kiss,” “The Wrong Case,” “The Mexican Tree Duck,” “Bordersnakes,” “The Final Country,” and most recently, “The Right Madness.”
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Rit Bellis wrote on Sep 18, 2008 2:01 PM:
" Jim was a good man and a good mentor to many of us. I barely made it out of the 1970's alive because of his encouragement, and I will always be grateful for the risks inspired and the risks taken. I Agree with Neil. I will miss him. "
Doug Kueffler wrote on Sep 18, 2008 4:42 PM:
" I was really saddened by the news of James Crumley's death. I always expected that his best writing was yet to come. I loved his offbeat characters. He will be missed. My heart goes out to his family. "
Laurent Courtiaud wrote on Sep 19, 2008 8:43 AM:
" Condolences to his family and friends from a French fan in Hong Kong. He will be missed but will live far beyond our memories of him through his work. Thank you for the privilege of reading you, Mister Crumley and I can only wish that many future readers will be touched and transformed by your words as I have been. "
Jill Widner wrote on Sep 19, 2008 2:48 PM:
" I met Jim when he came to Yakima to read from a new novel a few weeks after I arrived from Iowa to teach at Yakima Valley Community College in 1993. At a party for him afterwards, we spent a large part of the evening together because we had both been to Iowa, though not at the same time. I especially remember him saying how hard it is to write and teach, and also how long the transition can be to get back to your writing after Iowa. All proved to be very true in my experience. But things are inching along. "
Lise McClendon wrote on Sep 19, 2008 10:41 PM:
" Crumley, man. I thought he was immortal. He was so generous, such a sweet soul under all that... machismo. He made me feel both special and ridiculous in comparison. Peace, Jim. We will miss you. "
N.A.Melillo wrote on Sep 20, 2008 9:36 AM:
" Jim Crumley was a friend, teacher, mentor and a whole lot of other things to me. I will go back to his books with a smile. He's in them in lots of ways. I can remember lots of good times - lots of caring about others. May he rest in peace. NAM "
Peter Dewar wrote on Sep 21, 2008 1:51 AM:
" Great author. Added a new dimension to the private eye genre. Will have a drink in your memory tonight. "
Ulrich Kroeger wrote on Sep 21, 2008 11:26 AM:
" Not long ago I recommended James Crumley's books to german readers. Unfortunately I've never met him. But I'm sure, that this great writer will never die in the memory of all people who've read one of his marvellous, down to earth honest novels. "
Mark Randall McDowell wrote on Sep 25, 2008 1:47 AM:
" Goodbye Mr. Crumley, thank you for your wonderful books. They changed my life forever. I actually walked down the streets of Angeles City after I read "One to Count Cadence", and I think I saw Joe Morning sitting by himself in a sleazy dive on Fields Avenue. If you look on the bathroom wall of some seedy bar in Osan South Korea you might still find the Krummel's Raiders chant written there after all these years.
I know what it is like to stay in a motel room while it snows outside and to keep the T.V. on all night for company. I know what the hangovers feel like, and I know the regret of the morning after.
My brother introduced me to your work in 1988 when I was in the U.S Air Force, and I was never the same. I had been stationed in Montana so I could relate to the world of Milo and C.W. When I went overseas to Korea and later the Phillipines I lived the life of one of Krummel's Raiders. And as you said, " that was fine."
Thank you for taking my drunken call, and actually talking to me and thank you for the hand typed letter you sent me in response to my rambling letter I sent you. I will always treasure it. Thank you Mr. Crumley and goodbye. "
I know what it is like to stay in a motel room while it snows outside and to keep the T.V. on all night for company. I know what the hangovers feel like, and I know the regret of the morning after.
My brother introduced me to your work in 1988 when I was in the U.S Air Force, and I was never the same. I had been stationed in Montana so I could relate to the world of Milo and C.W. When I went overseas to Korea and later the Phillipines I lived the life of one of Krummel's Raiders. And as you said, " that was fine."
Thank you for taking my drunken call, and actually talking to me and thank you for the hand typed letter you sent me in response to my rambling letter I sent you. I will always treasure it. Thank you Mr. Crumley and goodbye. "
John McMichael wrote on Oct 7, 2008 7:38 PM:
" I met Jim in a Juarez bar in 1982 when I was working for Price Waterhouse. He was sporting a new tatoo; I believe it was a spider on the inside of his left bicep. He had copies of The Last Good Kiss in the trunk of his beat up car and insisted on taking me to an after hours biker bar somewhere near El Paso. I told him I would like to write a novel sometime and he insisted on giving me a list of books I needed to read before I wrote. I think about him often and didn't realize he had passed away until I googled him just now. I'm still in a bar and wish I could have another conversation with him. I just ordered another cocktail in his honor. He had no idea the influence he had on me, although I still haven't written a novel! God bless and keep you Jim.
Love,
John "
Love,
John "
Les Standiford wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:54 AM: