James Waldron

OXFORD / WEST CHATHAM -- James F. Waldron, 86, of West Chatham MA and Wells Beach ME, formerly of Oxford, died peacefully Sunday, March 18th, at Cape Cod Hospital with his beloved wife of 55 years by his side. The cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis. Jim was born April 24, 1925, in Northampton MA to Thomas F. and Georgianna (Dragon) Waldron. He received his early schooling in Gloucester, MA before moving to Oxford where he graduated from Oxford High School, class of 1943. Prior to the graduation ceremony, Jim left to enlist in the Navy. He served in the Pacific theater from 1943 - 1945 as an electrician's mate aboard the submarine Boarfish. After the war, he attended Franklin Technical Institute and graduated from the former Worcester Junior College. In the early 1950's, he began his long career with IBM as a program system support representative, retiring from the Worcester office in 1986. Jim was a member of the Oxford Post American Legion, the Sierra Club, and the Chatham Retired Mens Club. He was a communicant of Holy Redeemer Church in Chatham and a former member of St. Roch's Church in Oxford. Jim leaves his wife, the former June I. Gardner of West Chatham. He leaves one son, Timothy J. Waldron and his wife Nancy (Fennessey) of Orleans MA, and three daughters, Kathleen A. Casavant and her husband David of Oxford MA, Susan P. Donovan of Millis MA, and Peggy J. Prouty and her husband John of Charlton MA. In addition, he leaves eight grandchildren whom he adored: Katharine Casavant of Astoria NY; James Casavant and his companion Samantha Kane of Dudley MA; Nathan Prouty and his wife Abigail of San Francisco CA; Martha Dias and her husband Christopher of Bristol RI; Seth Prouty and his wife Elyse of Dumont NJ; Shannon Waldron of Brighton MA; Michael Waldron of Boston MA; and Kali Waldron of Orleans MA. He also leaves three great-grandchildren, Margaux and Dylan Prouty of San Francisco CA and Gabriel Dias of Bristol RI. He leaves his brother, Thomas P. Waldron and his wife Evelyn of Brewster MA; his sister, Nancy Lamoureux and her husband Donald of South Dennis MA; and his sister-in-law, Suzanne Waldron of Lake Havasu City AZ, as well as several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Robert Waldron. Jim enjoyed walking, especially on the beach in Maine, reading, and traveling. In August of 2011 at the age of 86, he and June travelled to Aruba to attend his grandson's wedding. He was a devoted fan of the Red Sox, the Patriots, and the Celtics. In his retirement, Jim finally had time for one of his favorite pastimes - puttering around the house, repairing or adjusting this and that and improvising clever fixes. One of his greatest loves was multi-generational family get-togethers around the dining room table in Maine where epic card games were played and the room rocked with laughter, his memorable laugh foremost among them. Jim will be remembered by all who knew him as a gentleman, in the true sense of the word. He was a kind and honorable man, fiercely proud of his family and his roots. He also had a whimsical sense of humor which endeared him to his children and grandchildren especially. He was always finding just the right silly toy to amuse both them and him. . However, Jim's most memorable trait was his capacity to love and to share that love. Through his actions, he showed us how love can build a family, something we can never forget. He will always be loved and always be missed. Calling hours are 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. on Thursday, March 22, at Paradis Funeral Home, 357 Main St. Oxford. The funeral Mass is at St. Roch's Church, 332 Main St., Oxford at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, March 23, with interment to follow at North Cemetery, Oxford. The family requests that flowers be omitted. Donations can be made to the Lower Cape Outreach Council, P.O. Box 665, Orleans MA 02653, or online at www.lcoutreach.org.