Tribute to the Legacy of Jim Lash
By Susan R. Wenner, Herald Publisher/Editor
and Steve Lash
Jim Lash of Lake Mary recently passed away but his legacy not only lives on through his family but also the many people that were privileged enough to know him.
Born in the midst of the Depression in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, Lash was the oldest of 7 children. Living a simple life, yet trying to stretch a dollar, he sold donuts door-to-door for a nickel a piece or three for a dime. Already working to make the deals.
One of Lash’s early jobs was working at a local Sunoco Gas Station at the young age of 15. It was during that time that Lash met a pretty blond girl, walking home from school past the gas station. Lash was smitten, to say the least, and he made yet another deal, selling her on himself.
He married Delores in 1952. Later in 1954 the couple moved to Orlando. Driving an old Dodge pickup truck piled high with their earthly belongings and their newborn baby girl, Diane, the couple headed south driving head on into a hurricane coming up the east coast. With torrential rain pelting the young family in their travels they made the decision to stop at a motel, get a room and ride out the storm.
As they arose the next day to begin their journey, the truck wouldn’t start. Somehow, Lash managed to get the vehicle to a repair garage. He was told a battery was needed but told the workers to just charge the battery as money was tight after paying for a motel. The rear taillights had shorted out from the strong rain bands but all was repaired finally completing their travel to Orlando.
It was 1954 when Lash opened his first small car lot in Orlando on Highway 50 with only 1 to 3 cars to sell. The small brick office with no air conditioning also left much to be desired. He didn’t realize he needed a dealers license until the city paid him a visit. He secured the license with a simple $5 payment and he officially became a legal used car dealer.
The job became a 6 day a week endeavor working tirelessly. Lash always made Sundays a priority in attending church services and later he and Delores worked on the books. Their hope was to also squeeze in a nap before the evening Sunday night service.
It was in 1965 when the Chrysler company called and offered a dealership in Sanford that was no longer working. Although it was not a golden opportunity, Lash had the desire and faith to take the plunge. Without capital, he ventured to Sanford Atlantic Bank and asked the President and his friend, Howard Hodges, to give him a loan.
Opening the dealership on a shoestring in 1966, Lash worked extremely hard and eventually offered some cars to Seminole High School for Driver’s Education classes, different sports teams to use, shop classes and every year to drive the field for homecoming. This is a practice that the current dealership still honors.
Lash and his wife, Delores were very active in the community in Lake Mary as well as Sanford. His family and friends were always very aware that his first love was the Lord, then his wife, next his children and everyone else. He actively served in the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Sanford as an usher, the board, communion and financial opportunities. Members of the church knew that Lash would greet them at the door as they arrived for services and hand out bulletins. He knew everyone’s name and newcomers were welcomed first by Lash, as he always knew how to make them feel at home. Being a father figure to many, mentoring young men to success and fatherhood. He helped countless people. Lash’s family has heard from those folks often, saying that Jim Lash was the one who helped when no one else would.
His family also added that Lash would give anyone a chance because he knew that the Lord held him in the palm of his hand.
It was in 1970 that Lash moved the family from Pine Hills to Lake Mary. His children, Diane and Steve felt the city resembled nothing more than the Green Acres television show. At the time there was only one stop sign at Country Club Road and Lake Mary Boulevard and no stop lights. Steve and Diane dressed up with a pitchfork and shovel and snag the tune to Green Acres in the driveway to their parents. Their lyrics were, Pine Hills is where I’d rather stay, I get allergic smelling hay. It was a fun and innocent time of life.
On Sunday afternoons, it was not unusual for Lash to ride whatever motorcycle he had taken in on trade at the dealership. He especially loved taking his youngest daughter, Angelina, for a ride that frequently included a trip to Dairy Queen on Park Avenue in Sanford. That was always a treat for both of them.
In 1973 the oil embargo hit with long gas lines, high gas prices and the Chrysler automobiles were gas guzzlers and performance cars. Lash knew it was time to leave the Chrysler business quickly because it was not going to get better any time soon.
In making the decision about his company, Lash consulted his pastor on what to do with the fledgling Chrysler dealership that sold gas guzzlers that now seemed impossible to sell. The pastor advised him to pray earnestly about it with faith and then sell the business. That is exactly what Lash did and a man from Miami soon came and bought the company, taking over his financial obligations but truly being an answer to prayer.
It was also during this time when a Sanford Real Estate Agent, Amy Anderson, approached Lash with the “perfect” property on 17-92 which included over 2 acres with an old house on it, perfect for a used car dealership.
At the time, 17-92 did not have a lot of businesses and south of the area was a small lower income rental community called Shenandoah Village. The property was owned by Evelyn E J King, of the King-Dunn family. Evelyn was fond of Lash so when he mentioned that he didn’t have the money to buy the property, Evelyn insisted that she wouldn’t take no for an answer and wanted to help him purchase the land with no money down and she would finance it for him. Eagerly, Lash proclaimed that he could qualify for that. This was Evelyn’s act of kindness to help the family and to begin Blue Book Cars. Lash returned to Sanford Atlantic Bank to speak with Howard and present a floor plan. Finally Blue Book Cars opened its doors.
The new dealership began with a wooden sign out front and trade-ins from the Chrysler dealership. The front of the house was converted into a small office and the back of the house upstairs was rented to help pay the mortgage.
Kemp Howland had worked as Lash’s “right-hand man” at the Chrysler dealership. He highly respected Lash and began helping and managing the front end of the business. Both worked tirelessly together day and night.
As the ever-helpful Lash continued, he also wanted to help more in the community. He gave his wife, Delores, a Plymouth Volare Station Wagon and funded the Welcome Wagon for new Lake Mary residents. Delores still worked the books and ran the office at Blue Book Cars.
In 1980, Lash opened the Blue Book Cars Service Center with Jim Durs at the helm as the Service Manager. For the following 37 years he worked that position until he retired. Jim trained another Pennsylvania man, Dave Predmore, to take his place. Predmore previously owned a NAPA store in Pocono, Pennsylvania.
Another expansion happened in 1980 when Jim Lash Rent-a-Car began. It was also during this time that Lash’s brother, Ray joined the team. The brothers got the cars ready to sell and also served as salesmen. Lash could be found working with a towel around his neck, changing tires, getting cars ready and just enjoying what he had created.
It was unknowingly during a burn ban, that Lash decided that some debris needed to be burned and after gathering the large pile in back of the house at the business. As the flames grew some 30 to 40 feet in the air. Fire Trucks with blaring sirens sped down 17-92 pulling in Blue Book Cars and flying to the back of the property with full gear and water hoses. Surprised, the firefighters were met by Lash with a towel around his neck, a shovel and rake and a huge fire. As they stressed that there was a burn ban and inquired about where permission came from to start the fire. Lash just replied with, “they did, those people.” As the firefighters shook their heads , loaded up everything and headed back to the fire station, the family had a good laugh at the fact that he just did things “old school.”
In 1982, Lash needed a new general manager, so he sought out his son, Steve, who was working at a Chrysler Corporation as a District Manager out of Detroit. Lash made Steve an offer to be partners so Steve now joined the team excited to take Jim Lash Blue Book Cars to the next level. Being very ambitious and wanting to succeed and please his dad, they became the perfect partnership.
Jim Lash Blue Book Cars had a new office built in 1985 along with a detail department and a new large sign erected. They overhauled the service department with new equipment and improvements throughout. Inventory was continually increased and then a new commercial sales business was added in 2012.
Today, Jim Lash Blue Book Cars sells everything. Steve buys the large commercial business additions. Barry, the younger son, is a professional buyer that purchases exclusively for customers, businesses and corporations nationwide. Although he specializes in all, he is uniquely skilled in the high end, hard to find vehicles yet he can and does buy anything for anybody.
Numerous employees have retired from Blue Book Cars such as Dianne Shiferdek, who worked as the office manager for 36 years. Nelson Montelvo, the recon manager, has been employed since 1983. Ken Meyers, the head mechanic, has worked for the car lot for 28 plus years as well as Lash’s brother Ray.
The Lash family found out that Lake Mary and Sanford communities are places that you can safely grow up in and have that great community come alongside you.
How blessed Lash and his family have been here and enjoyed all the people who loved him and his family.
He is survived by his wife, Delores Lash, four children - Diane Lash, Steve Lash (Ramona), Barry Lash (Lori) and Angelina Goose (Dave), 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
His Memorial and Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, Nov 15, 11 a.m., at Westview Baptist Church, 4100 H.E. Thomas Jr. Parkway in Sanford, followed by a 4Rivers BBQ and open mike stories on premises.
