Jim Ross lightfoot

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I'm Give-ah Hoot, and this is my lovely wife, Ima Hoot. She will be sharing a great story with you shortly.

Most of you will recognize Jim Ross Lightfoot from his 20 years in broadcasting and his 12 years of service as a U.S. Congressman.  Those of you familiar with law enforcement and ballistic forensics probably know him from 14 years as a VP for Forensic Technology, Inc. (FTI). Many of you know him as a rodeo announcer and sought-after speaker. He has taught many of you to fly airplanes.

However, there's so much more to Jim's story that you might not know.

Ima will share Jim's incredible journey with you. He's a humble man who prefers not to talk about himself or boast about his numerous accomplishments.

As he often says, "Having ridden this old rock we call Earth around the Sun 87 times, I've seen too many taking credit for the good works of others and then can't hardly wait to get in front of a TV camera to beat on their chest and tell the world what a wonderful person they are. As we like to say in cowboy country, 'All hat, and no cattle.'"

Now folks, Ima is one of the best storytellers in Owl World, so grab yourself a nice cup of hot coffee, settle back in your most comfortable chair, and prepare to hear a most unusual story as only Ima can tell it.

In addition to sharing his fascinating story with you, there's a new chapter in Jim's life that Ima is excited to tell you about.

That's all from me for now. Ima, the floor is all yours, so take it away…

Hello and welcome! We are Mr. and Mrs. Hoot, your friendly guides on this fun journey. We will work to make you very comfortable, provide access to any information you may need, and ensure you have an enjoyable time getting to know our friend, Jim.

Thank you very much, Give-ah. I’m anxious to share this fascinating story. However, before I get into the narrative, Give-ah mentioned that Jim and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 50 years. I want to add that they have worked together nearly flawlessly.

Our story starts with a bridge in Sioux City, IA, way back in 1938. After years of hard use and weather, the old bridge

is undergoing repair and additional construction on a portion. One of the many men working on the bridge is a handsome young man named Harold.

It has been a good summer. Cool days and crisp nights had replaced the heat of the past few months. Fall had arrived, and the harvest was underway. Yes, it had been a good summer for everyone.

Then one afternoon, disaster struck. Harold was working high on the bridge. He missed a step and fell on his back.

His fellow workers ran to his aid. However, he could not move and remained lying on the ground in the exact spot he had landed. When the ambulance crew arrived, they carefully loaded him onto a gurney and into the ambulance.

Their fears were confirmed when Harold reached the hospital and the doctors examined him. His back was broken.

Harold's recovery was long and, at times, tedious. But his long hours were brightened by a young lady working at the hospital. She looked after his every need.

Eventually, Cupid fired a few arrows their way.

After many weeks, Harold was ready to leave the hospital, his back nearly healed.

Harold and his ever-attending nurse's aide continued their extremely warm relationship. Cupid's arrows had hit the mark with both of them. Love started to grow. And then it happened.

A trip to the doctor confirmed it, she was pregnant. The couple agreed to disagree and went their separate ways.

There were methods available to terminate the child, But she decided she didn't want to make two mistakes. Killing an innocent baby to correct a mistake she had made was something she would not do.

No, it wasn't the child's fault it existed. Why should it have to pay the price?

The time ahead was a long, sometimes difficult journey for the young woman. With only a meager income and no help from home, the next nine months would be tough.

Keeping the child would be impossible. Summer had passed, and the beauty of an Iowa fall painted the land. The harvest had begun, and it looked like this might be a good year.

The calendar reached the end of September.

A 19-year-old young lady named Helen Blair made her way up the sidewalk to the Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers. She was here for two reasons. First, she became pregnant outside of wedlock, and second, she did not want to carry the guilt of killing her baby with an abortion.

On September 27, 1938, Helen gave birth to a bouncing baby boy she named Roger.

The nurses allowed her to hold baby Roger for only a few brief minutes, and then he was whisked away to be prepared for adoption. Helen knew she would never see young Roger again, but she took great solace in knowing she had allowed little Roger to live.

Yes, it had been a rough ride for her, she took great satisfaction in the fact that she had done the right thing. A little boy was going to have an opportunity to live a life.

She prayed it would be a good one filled with joy and success. A life she wished she could share, but that wonderful experience would be enjoyed by someone else.

As she left the Florence Crittenton Home with a bittersweet feeling in her heart, her thoughts were focused on one obsession: Yes, I did the right thing.

Once little Roger was big enough to travel, he was moved 91 miles south to the Christian Home in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The Christian Home specialized in adoptions.

One day a call went out to a young farm couple in southwest Iowa. They wanted a family, but medical conditions prevented them from having children. Seeing adoption as the only route to putting a family together, they had contacted the Christian Home due to its excellent reputation. The telephone call was to inform them that they had a baby boy available for adoption.

There was a slight hesitation, as they wanted a girl. However, they wanted to explore this opportunity.

The 60-mile drive to Council Bluffs, mostly on dirt roads, was filled with anticipation.

Upon their arrival at the Christian Home, they were taken to the area where the baby boy was sleeping. The the closer they got to the nursery room with Roger, the idea of adopting only a girl was rapidly slipping out of the window.

When the young lady was given the baby to hold, she made a comment that she repeated many times throughout her life. She said, "We just bonded!"

They took the baby home, filled with joy and anticipation. The first item of business was to change his name from Roger Blair to James Ross Lightfoot.

A young baby with great adoptive parents was just about to start on the fantastic journey we call life.

His young life was filled with many activities, chief among them was the 4-H club. Over the years, he established a winning record with prize show cattle at the Fremont County, Iowa fair that has never been exceeded.

Growing up as the typical farm boy, he learned to be an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter, a veterinarian, a mechanic, and learned how to balance a checkbook. His parents had married during the Great Depression. As a result, they were very frugal and could make a dollar bill stretch a long way.

All of this was passed along to Jim. On top of that, he attended a wonderful school filled with teachers who cared about their students and wanted to see them succeed. His high school years were filled with the usual activities of an active young man. However, he did not participate directly in many of the sports. An unexpected growth spurt that added 4 inches to his height made him so awkward that he could not play sports. He immersed himself in other school activities.

After graduating from high school, Jim enlisted in the United States Army. Following completion of active duty, he worked as an IBM Customer Engineer for three years and as a police officer in Tulsa, OK, for one year. Lightfoot then became an announcer and farm broadcaster at KMA Radio in Shenandoah, IA, for 19 years, earning awards under the stage name Jim Ross.

From 1985 to 1997, he served as a US Congressman, overseeing over 40% of the Federal Law Enforcement budget. A major challenge was rebuilding ATF following the fiasco in Waco, TX. Working with Director John Magaw, ATF was restructured, and Director Magaw brought cutting-edge technology and training to the agency.

Jim retired from Congress following 12 years of service. He had worked his way up to being one of the 12 coveted "cardinals" of the Appropriations Committee. Staying in Congress in the future was nearly a guarantee. However, as a firm believer in term limits, Jim made a promise during the first campaign to serve 12 years and then come home. Being a man of his word, it was time to leave.

The final 14 years of an active work career were spent as VP of Forensic Technology, Inc. (FTI) from 1998 to 2002, helping to develop a global standard in ballistic forensics. The IBIS system is now in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Would you like to get your pilot's license? Give Jim a call. As a commercial and flight instructor pilot with over 6,000 hours of flying time, you can learn from one of the best.

2002 rolled around, and it was retirement time. Instead of fishing or some other relaxing activity, you will find him enjoying writing editorials, opinion pieces, short articles, and murder-thriller books based on his extensive experience with law enforcement.

Each book also weaves in bits of actual history, making them both educational and thrilling. He has written a memoir, ‘Climbing Mountains with God,’ and a murder mystery, ‘Tracks in the Brass, ’ available on Amazon. Currently, Jim is writing ‘Silenced Evil’ carries on the character Detective Roger Blair. His current investigation is the search for the killer of a well-liked store owner at the doorway to his home. The search makes its way through a Mexican drug gang, local criminal elements, several red herrings, and a surprise ending.

This is also the end of my story about a man from humble beginnings who has had a positive impact on our society. I'm sure he would deny it if you asked him. Seeing his name up in lights is something he has never pursued.

"Keep your eyes out of the windshield, that's where your future lies. An occasional glance in the rearview mirror to learn a lesson or remember something, or just walk around, is OK. Don't make the mistake of living there. Always remember to keep your eyes out the windshield and on the road ahead. That's where your future lies. Follow your dream, and you will never work a day in your life."

I know Jim believes this with all his heart and soul. His life proves it. A great example for us all.

By the way, he did meet his birth mother, and they had a wonderful relationship until she passed away.

I hope you enjoyed me telling you about a man, if he were an owl like me, would qualify as a "Wise old owl."

Thanks for listening.

Jim Ross Lightfoot's Current Books

A memoir of my years as a U.S. Congressman

A fictional thriller with Detective Roger Blair The first of a series

Coming soon!! Another thriller with Det Roger Blair Watch for it.............

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