SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Hundreds of people filled the Pacific Christian Center in Santa Maria Monday morning to honor local legend Jim Glines, who died recently on Feb. 27th.
"It means the world to us," said John Glines, Jim Glines' son. "We knew he was bigger than life and he was obviously our Superman, but to see the the community come out and, and honor him, it just means so much to us that that he was appreciated for his works."
Raised on a cattle ranch in the Cuyama Valley, he was a graduate of St. Mary's School Santa Maria High School and Cal Poly.
After college, Glines started his professional career in banking in Hanford, before relocating back home to Santa Maria in 1972, where he would established himself as a beloved member of the community through his immeasurable contributions he made throughout his lifetime.
He was a well-known businessman, helping co-found Community Bank of Santa Maria in 2001, a renowned barbecuer, particularly cooking in the famous "Santa Maria Style BBQ" tradition, and was also an extremely familiar face and voice at community fundraisers, where he often served as an award-winning auctioneer.
"He loved this community," said Anne Glines, Jim Glines' sister. "He was always had his hand out. He helped the veterans. He always supported of the youth. I don't think he ever knew how to say no."
Through his efforts, either as an auctioneer or as a member on the various local boards he served on or created, Glines literally helped raise millions of dollars for countless local groups, organizations, services or other needs.
"He just had a just a big heart," said friend Jim Diani. "He was just one of the good guys. He was a Mr. Santa Maria and it was the broadness of the impact on the community and the influence on almost every aspect of our community that he had. He was larger than life."
Some of the organizations Glines was either part of or found included the Santa Maria Police Council, Los Rancheros Vistadores, Santa Maria Elks Lodge 1538, Allan Hancock College Boosters and Pacific Christian Center.
"It's going to be such a void in the city of Santa Maria," said longtime Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino. "And we're going to realize that. A lot of times it's hard to put your finger on what he did because he was always there and he was always doing and he was always getting the job done."
Those close to Glines said there likely isn't a single person in Santa Maria who has not been impacted in one way or the other through his immense contributions he made in his lifetime.
"If you've been in a community building, if you've played in a park, if you've, banked at community bank, if whatever you've done, he's probably had a hand in helping to make that successful," said John Glines. "There's been two words that have have been thrown around a lot lately describing him, one as a pillar of the community, and those pillars are falling, but the other, he was a mighty oak, bigger than life in all ways, and that night an oak fell in this community, and it's an oak that doesn't just grow right back."
During the memorial, speakers included Pacific Christian Center pastor Loren Hicks, past Pacific Christian Center pastor Rick Bloom, John Glines – Glines other son, Patrick Glines, as well as Janet Silveria, who succeeded Glines as Community Bank of Santa Maria President/CEO.
"Jim was definitely cut from a rare cloth," said Silveria. "Every natural material in the earth God used to cut that man. He was rare. Jim had a very large life and he could have in reality cast huge shadows that didn't allow anybody else to shine, but he just did not allow that. He pushed everybody out into the sunlight and put a spotlight on them and highlighted their greatest attributes and celebrated them and I think that's why we all love Jim so much and that's what he did for the whole community. He brought out all his causes, everything that tugged at his heartstrings. He brought all of that out into the sunlight and shined a spotlight on it and really helped so many people in that really generous, giving way."
Those who spoke during the nearly two-hour service all described Glines similarly, as someone with a sharp sense of humor, a passion for rodeo, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Rams, a deep religious faith, and above all, a love of family.
“Family was huge to him," said John Glines. "A lot of people know him as that big oak. He knew he was there to help everybody, but when he was with his family, when he was in dad and granddad mode, his favorite role was granddad, though. Yeah. That was that was what he took the most pleasure and the most honor in was being granddad.”
The Glines family indicated a celebration of life will be held sometime soon at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge.
Glines, who helped re-establish the Allan Hancock College Boosters in 2000, was the impetus behind creating the school's rodeo team.
Having a rodeo team, along with the locally held college rodeo in the Santa Maria area, was a long-running goal of his.
His dream will become a reality later this month when Hancock College hosts its inaugural Spring Roundup College Rodeo at the Santa Maria Elks Event Center on March 29-30.
Glines will be honored during the Sunday championship performance, which will be held starting at 1 p.m.
The Glines family is hoping the community will come out and attend the Spring Roundup College Rodeo to help support the Hancock program, and to pay tribute to Glines as well.
For information about the Spring Roundup College Rodeo, click here to visit the Hancock Boosters website.
Jim Glines is survived by several family members, including his wife Kathy, sons John and Patrick, five grandchildren, sister Anne, and many others.
Hundreds attend memorial service to honor Santa Maria legend Jim Glines News Channel 3-12.
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