James E. Dibert

YORK - James E. Dibert, age 71, died on November 11, 2023 after enduring 10 days in intensive care at UPMC at York Memorial and then Harrisburg Osteopathic. He fought hard for his life.

Jim’s friends are welcome to attend any one or all three of these events to share stories and commemorate Jim’s legacy. Tribute Services for Jim will held on Thursday, November 30, 2023.

1. Public visitation will be held from 12-1:00 PM at Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc.,

1551 Kenneth Road, York.

2. A Mass of Christian Burial for all faiths will begin at 1:30 PM Thursday at St. Patrick Catholic Church,

219 S. Beaver Street, York with Rev. Charles J. Topper officiating. Private burial will be in Holy Saviour Catholic Cemetery.

3. Celebration of Jim’s Life will then be held at 7:30 PM Thursday evening at Corky’s Pub,

3905 E. Market Street, York where Jim’s family and friends join the Cowboys Fan Club who will be gathering to watch the Cowboys vs. Seahawks game on TV.

This story of Jim starts on August 5, 1972 and two 20-yr. old twin sons of Robert and Jean Dibert. On this day Jim was tragically injured and paralyzed for 51 years as a quadriplegic, after their car skidded off the road into a ditch. It was early in the morning and they were on the way to work as part of the grounds crew at the Out Door Country Club. Fortunately, by God’s grace John was thrown through the roof of Jim’s convertible sports car and sustained no injuries.

This story of hope began the next day. His inspirational story was made possible by loving and supportive parents, especially our mother Jean. She made his next 51 years possible. Jean died in 2019 at 97 yrs. old.

Before August 5th, it was a loving family story guided by wonderful parents and wonderful life events for Jim. He and his identical twin John were born in Jersey Shore, PA in March 1952. Their dad got a job after WWII in York with Weis Markets and they lived here ever since. Jim’s schools were Devers Elementary, St. Pat’s, Edgar Fahs Smith Jr. High, and William Penn Sr. High graduating in 1970. Jim was a Boy Scout, star baseball pitcher, and played 10-13 yr. old Boys Club football as a right tackle alongside John who played the right guard. It was called the “Dibert side” of the offensive line. They even played both sides of the ball as defensive linebackers.

In H.S. Jim excelled on the Willam Penn H.S. Golf team where he never lost a match. As this sport was his real passion, Jim worked summers away from college at the Out Door Country Club and played on the West Chester State College Golf team with his close and longtime friend Denny Lankford. After H.S., Jim went with Denny to West Chester State and majored in Physical Education. At college he was a leader in his fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. After two years of college and before his junior year, on the way to the golf course, his after Aug. 5th story begins.

Jim spent nine months after the accident in Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital just to learn how to “sit up” in a wheelchair, occupational therapies, and how to maximize use for his new paralyzed life. This is where everyone first saw Jim’s compassionate feelings for others he met in rehabilitation. Some he learned had worst spine and neck injuries. Believe it or not, he would tell his family that he met patients there who were worse off than him and “he felt sorry for them.” Jim continued thinking about “others first” for the rest of his 51 years in a wheelchair.

Life improved in a major way for Jim after he learned to drive a van with hand controls. His long overdue independence was realized as he could now drive using his own wheelchair with a specially designed hook up on the chair. With his new van and ramp, that lowered and had driver hand controls, he went everywhere by himself. Thankfully the passage of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) law requiring ramps and parking areas as requirements for all new construction, furthered his ease of travel. Jim was interviewed by local press concerning life driving this type of van under these new laws. He told them that York County still “had a way to go.” Jim’s opinion on these matters was sought and respected by many local leaders.

Jim became a Notary and started his own service. He kept busy meeting and helping new people as customers; with his mom and dad serving as his receptionist, guiding each visitor as they would come and go. It was run like a doctor’s office with Jim as boss. This job allowed his family to see Jim’s true nature of wanting to be self-reliant and make his own way in life.

He made many new contacts from his notary work and charity golf tournaments from which he met a key person in his life, Art Glatfelter. Jim was selected to be their “live person” after hours insurance contact and worked for them for 35 years. It was a 7-day a week job of nights and weekends. He loved working from home and for Glatfelter Insurance; capturing vital info. on accidents or other requests and then passing this on in their voicemail box and appropriate personnel. He loved to make jokes through the Glatfelter company email. Jim even received insurance agent training in order to better serve as the night and weekend duty person.

While working as a notary or for Glatfelter, he sought out and volunteered many times for local charities and especially supported the Margret E. Moul Home. For over 20 years, he organized annual and very successful golf tournaments at Cool Creek Country Club to raise money for the Home. In 1995, Jim received the “Direct Service Volunteer of the Year” award from The Volunteer Center of York County. Instead of giving flowers (that are appreciated) please consider giving money to this Home (see info. below) in Jim’s memory.

Jim Dibert was a dedicated and loyal football fan. Early in life he picked up “Dallas Cowboys fever” and kept it forever. He subscribed to the “Dallas Cowboy Weekly” before we had internet. Jim wore a Cowboys hat every day. He watched every play of every game and if the Cowboys won, his mood for the week was so much better! One year, after the Cowboys won their first seasonal game, he predicted a run to the Super Bowl. As it turns out, they didn’t even make the playoffs that year. He also was a big fan of Penn State and would bet against his brother’s school, the University of Tennessee. If you don’t know, twins love to compete every day against each other and the Dibert’s were no different.

With 7-day a week Glatfelter work, football and pro golf watching, constant charity work, buying things for his house, arranging home care for his mom and dad; all the while managing his own care; his life was busy and fulfilled.

While there are many more stories about Jim, and the ones you may have experienced, please share your story and tell everyone about him.

The after August 5th Jim Dibert story will be remembered as one of inspiration! A physically fit 20-yr. old who once aspired to be a H.S. Physical Education teacher, and even thought about US Marine officer training, was transformed into a person with the largest heart in York County.

He gave up so much and learned after August 5th that “there’s always someone else who has it worse.”

One of Jim’s favorite readings from the author Robert Fulghum’s “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” was “Share everything, play fair, don’t hit people, put things back where you found them, clean up your own mess, don’t take things that aren’t yours; and this last one best describes Jim, say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.”

In life, Jim didn’t need to say this very much but WE are all hurting that he’s gone.

Goodbye Jim, your entire life was a blessing to us all. Heaven has another Cowboys fan.

Memorial contributions in memory of Jim may be made to Margaret E. Moul Home, 2050 Barley Road, York, PA 17408 or www.margaretemoul.org

CLICK HERE TO SEND FLOWERS

FLOWER IMAGE