James Francis MacRae passed on May 7 at St. Francis Hospital with his family by his side. Jim challenged multiple cancers without evasion or compromise, and knows that his contribution to cancer trials and studies will advance research and patient care. He left us with his inimitable sense of humor intact.
Jim is survived by his wife of 54 years, Margaret (Carley), with whom he shared a loving marriage abounding with respect and friendship. He also leaves behind his children and grandchildren: Moraith and her children, Anne and Sean Driscoll, of Avon; Jamie and his wife, Patricia, and their children, Kathryn and Kyle, of Wethersfield; and Leigh Ellen and her husband, Raymond Griffiths, and their children, Carley, Audrey, and Benjamin, of St. Louis, MO. Jim is further survived by his brother, Dennis (Michael) MacRae and his wife, Bonnie Bedelia, of Palm Springs, CA. His parents, Edna (Byron) and Clement MacRae, predeceased him.
Born March 11, 1936, in Washington, DC, Jim’s family moved to Hartford when he was a young boy and then settled in Wethersfield in 1953, where he has lived since. Jim attended Fairfield University and served in the Army National Guard stationed at Fort Dix. He worked for his father in the restaurant business before becoming an administrator at The Torrington Company. Closer to home, Jim was a President’s Club sales associate at A-Copy and then national sales manager for Sony Corporation. He retired from Ikon Office Solutions in 2001.
Jim will be remembered as a man of high character, a devoted husband and son, a supportive and proud father, a loyal friend, and a gentleman. He was generous of spirit, and lived his life true to James 2:17, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Jim/Jimmy/Poppi left a lasting impression on all who knew him.
A parishioner of Sacred Heart Church for 50 years, Jim served in many roles including Trustee. Jim and Margie received the St. Joseph Medal of Appreciation from the Archdiocese in 2009. He also volunteered for the American Cancer Society. Jim enjoyed navigating the river and LI Sound and was a member of the Wethersfield Yacht Club.
The family will hold calling hours on Friday, May 12, from 4-7 p.m. at Farley Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 13, at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 56 Hartford Avenue, Old Wethersfield. Following burial at Village Cemetery, family and friends will be invited to share their memories of the life of James MacRae, a man whom we will miss but will honor by paying it forward. In lieu of flowers, please consider sharing your time, talent, or treasure with Plimpton House (c/o South Park Inn, 75 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06106). For more information and to share online condolences, please access www.farleysullivan.com.