Deceased June 11, 2022
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In Memory
Jim lived with great wonder for the world around him, an instinct for service and a huge appreciation for good fun. He grew up in Melrose, Mass., and graduated from Hebron Academy. At Amherst, Jim was a history major, a member of Phi Delt, assistant manager of the skiing club and in the AFROTC. He served four years in the Air Force, earning the Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service when he assisted his B-47 in landing safely in a strange field.
Jim earned an MBA from Boston College and an M.S. in counselor education from Suffolk University, which he used while working in human resources for Friendly Ice Cream, Milton Bradley–Hasbro and Texas Instruments, retiring in 1998. Jim was particularly interested in enjoying the great outdoors, bird-watching, kayaking, sailing and hiking. He solo climbed all 48 of the 4,000-foot peaks in New Hampshire and was active in the Boy Scouts, serving as scoutmaster for his son’s troop.
Marrying his love for travel with his belief in service, Jim participated in 33 service programs around the world, over all seven continents. These trips included seven for Habit for Humanity, helping to build 16 homes in countries like Haiti, New Zealand, Zambia and Portugal. Jim was an accomplished cook, making 13 two-week trips to volunteer as chef at the Mount Washington Observatory, preparing meals for the volunteers.
He had a great interest in history and genealogy, researching his family with trips to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; New Brunswick, Canada; and Ireland. After moving to Mystic, Conn., Jim happily volunteered at Mystic Seaport Museum, most notably working on the restoration of the schooner Brilliant and voyaging overnight on the boat when the project was completed.
In November 1962, Jim married Donna Dabareiner, who survives him, as do their two children.
Rob Sowersby ’55