About the Book
Jim (Tjebbe) Kamstra was a man on a mission, determined to make a success of himself. Growing up in the Netherlands during the Great Depression, then living under German occupation in World War II, he learned that he would have to take advantage of whatever opportunities presented themselves. Jim came out of the Great War a young man full of ambition, ready to make his way in the world. Although he had limited education, Jim believed that he could be a success if he only worked hard enough. The Netherlands held few opportunities at the time, so he emigrated to Canada, working at whatever job he could find. With a tireless work ethic and willingness to do whatever it took to get a job done, Jim impressed anyone for whom he ever worked. However, he realized that he would never be satisfied working for someone else. Even a business partnership did not work for Jim, he had to be his own boss. Since Jim loved gardening, he created a small landscaping company, growing it slowly with every opportunity.
Jim experienced many challenges along the way and sometimes took more risks than he should have. Often he forged ahead without thinking of all the consequences which sometimes got him into trouble. As a result, he experienced setbacks and suffered more than his share of accidents, on land, air and water.
Jim was a passionate man with a zest for life, who put himself fully in whatever he did, whether running a business, raising a family, fishing, flying his plane, dancing with his wife or fundraising for charity. This book is the life story of Jim, an immigrant who made it in a new country – his milestones, adventures, successes and mishaps. Jim was one who lived life fully.