Jim Messineo, 17-year veteran area manager for Whiting Door Mfg Corp's northwestern US region, died suddenly Friday, December 10, 2010. He was vacationing with his wife and enjoying one of his passions — scuba diving — when his heart failed. A graduate of Rider College in New Jersey, Messineo was a second lieutenant in the US Army and worked in the transportation industry for 39 years. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; two sisters; and was predeceased by their teenage son, James. Messineo's hundreds of Whiting customers spanned Northern California, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest. His Facebook page sheds some light on his outlook; it reads: “Life is a challenge to be faced — it is not meant to be easy. You cannot understand what joy or happiness is unless you have overcome difficulty and hardship. Most important: laugh; at yourself and at life in general, no matter what.”