Apothecary Shed

This corrected obituary was published in the Morgan Messenger.

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James Romine Michael

1935-2025

James Romine Michael, age 89, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., passed away on Thursday, June 19, 2025 at his home surrounded by his family and while under the care of Hospice of the Panhandle.

Born October 10, 1935 in Martinsburg, W.Va., he was the son of the late Gladstone Michael and Reba Unger Michael Myers.

Jim was a 1953 graduate of Berkeley Springs High School and a 1957 graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education.

After graduating from WVU he joined the Air National Guard in Martinsburg, W.Va. After his service at the Air Guard, he started working at the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service where he held several positions across the state of West Virginia and finally retired in the state of Virginia after 36 years of service.

After retirement Jim returned to Berkeley Springs where he took over his family’s multi-generational farm.

In addition to farming Jim’s passion for conservation and community continued. He was actively involved with the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District serving as District Supervisor. Jim was also the President of Cacapon State Park Foundation and the West Virginia State Parks Foundation for approximately 30 years. He was also a member of Sleepy Creek Watershed Association, People’s Mutual Insurance Board, Morgan County Farmland Protection Board and WV Farm Bureau.

Jim was an active member of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church where he served on numerous committees and leadership roles.

Jim held many roles in life but his greatest role was being a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Jim is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jacqueline Lee Hewett Michael, at home, three children, Christopher Paul Michael of Beaverdam, Va., Romey Michael McGraw (Gary) of Berryville, Va. and Brad Allen Michael (Beth) of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., one sister, Judith Baisden (Ernest) of Shanks, W.Va., five grandchildren, Brianna (Matthew), Odessa, Grant, Ava and Lily, two great-grandchildren, Iulieana and Leiden Romine and two nephews.

In addition to his parent, he was preceded in death by his stepfather, Paul Myers.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at Cacapon Resort State Park Lodge, 818 Cacapon Lodge Drive, Berkeley Springs, W.Va. Private burial will be in Mt. Olivet Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1-3 p.m. & 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 27, 2025 at Helsley-Johnson Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 95 Union Street, Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jim’s name may be made to the Cacapon Resort State Park Foundation, 818 Lodge Drive, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411, Hospice of the Panhandle, 330 Hospice Lane, Kearneysville, WV 25430 or to Sleepy Creek Watershed Association, PO Box 991, Berkeley Springs, WV.

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Jim’s last few days (around 36 hours of steady decline) were peaceful and thankfully quick. The Hospice of the Panhandle people were excellent. The family was present and Jim felt loved right to his last seconds. This is the kind of death that everyone deserves to experience.

These pictures were taken the day before Jim died.