Friends Mourn the Loss of Jim Malcolm
Key West lost not only a dedicated public servant but a staunch advocate of pedestrian and bicyclist safety on Monday, October 13, with the death of 55-year-old James “Jim” Ralph Malcolm, who succumbed to brain cancer aggravated by a staph infection.
After arriving in the Keys in 1990, “Jim almost immediately became a bicycle activist,” partner Tom Wheaton said.
Malcolm began working for the city of Key West in January 1999, in the Building Department as the bicycle/pedestrian and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator. This position simply put a title onto a job Malcolm had been doing for years.
“Be assured that any bike path, bike rack or sign was due to Jim,” Wheaton said. “At any civic event, you could find Jim fitting children and adults with free helmets obtained by his hard work.”
In addition to his work for the city, those close to him will remember Malcolm as a family-oriented man who undertook any project with great dedication and concern for others.
“He thought of himself before others,” Wheaton said. “A forgiving and loving man. He was an amazing human being. I was privileged and honored to be his partner. Blessed.”