James Anthony Wasklewicz passed away peacefully on October 31, 2024, at his retirement community home in North Carolina. He was 83.

Jim was born on May 15, 1941, in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and spent much of his childhood in Boston. One of his earliest memories was watching the skies over the city filled with Allied planes returning from Europe at the end of World War II—an image that remained vivid throughout his life.

He graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School in 1960, where he proudly played football for four years. Shortly after graduation, Jim enlisted in the United States Navy and served from 1960 to 1964. During his service, he was stationed aboard the USS Caloosahatchee in the Mediterranean Sea and the USS Great Sitkin in Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His time in the Navy remained a lasting source of pride.

After completing his military service, Jim briefly attended Everett Community College in Washington state and later studied at Windham College in Putney, Vermont. He went on to build a long career in trucking and freight management, a profession to which he remained dedicated until retirement.

Jim had a lifelong love of food and cooking and once considered attending culinary school. He shared that love with his sons, teaching them to appreciate good meals and the joy of gathering around the table.

He also loved music, politics, and conversation. A devoted reader of the Boston Globe and a loyal listener to Boston radio, Jim followed politics closely throughout his life and proudly identified as a Kennedy Democrat. Music filled his home—from Isaac Hayes and Neil Diamond to Simon & Garfunkel and John Mellencamp—and whenever he heard a song he loved, he would say, “Listen to this beautiful piece of music.”

In his later years, Jim faced health challenges, but he remained grateful for the care he received and the support of his family. Those who knew him will remember his humor, his stories, his love of music and conversation, and the pride he took in his service and life experiences.

Jim is survived by his sons, Erik and David; and by his grandsons, Kole, Ryder, Atticus, and Silas.

May the road rise to meet him, and the wind be always at his back. May the sun shine warm upon his face until we meet again in the house of the Lord.