It is with great sadness that I announce the news that Jim McGovern has died. Jim was in Myrtle Beach, SC (visiting the local magic shop when he could) has suffered a massive heart attack. We moved our monthly Assembly meeting up one week so family members could attend the Broken Wand ceremony on May 18th. The following was written in the Meet the Members section of our monthly newsletter, The Assembly Line. Jim McGovern was born June 13, 1943 in Moorehead City, North Carolina to Jim and Clair McGovern. Jim's father was in the military. When Jim was about 8 years old the family's North Carolina home was destroyed by a hurricane.

Shortly after that, the family moved to New York when Jim's father was transferred to the Brooklyn naval base. Jim attended parochial school in the Bronx and later attended Roosevelt High School from which he received his General Education Diploma (GED). At age 16, he fibbed about his age and enlisted in the navy. When navy officials discovered he had enlisted under age, he was dismissed from the navy. At age 17, he joined the army, serving more than three years. He then went to work in New York and became an electrical apprentice. He later attended New York University part-time for eight years. In his off time he served as a mate on a boat in New York which took tourists
around the waters of the city. In 1968 he obtained his captain's license.

That same year, he joined the New York police department. In 1971 he left the police department and joined the New York fire department, where he worked for 17 years before he suffered a serious injury, breaking his back and retiring on medical disability. Later, Jim and his wife, Rose, moved to Virginia. Rose passed away about three years ago. Jim has five grown children--three girls and two sons, both of whom are police officers in New York.

Jim became seriously interested in magic while he was in the police department when he discovered a magic shop in New York City. He was fascinated by what he
could do with a thumb tip and other magic props. He then began to acquire lots of pocket tricks. In 1984, when his wife was in the hospital, Jim discovered the children's ward there. He began performing simple, out-of his pockets, magic tricks for the hospitalized youngsters. In Virginia he performs frequently at churches, retirement homes and for various organizations. He never charges for his shows.

Magic is not his only interest, however. Jim is a model train enthusiast and has numerous model trains. He also owns a boat and uses it frequently for fishing outings. But magic is probably his favorite interest. He rarely misses a meeting of Assembly 226 where he performs frequently for his fellow magicians.

--Michael Heckenberger