James E. Jacques

WATERVILLE – James E. Jacques Sr., 88, passed away on Friday, March 10th 2017 at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor with his son Jim Jr. by his side. He was born in Waterville on February 8th, 1929 to Frederick D., Sr. and Dora Greenleaf (Temple) Jacques.

Jim made it as far as the 9th grade at Waterville Senior High School and later earned his GED.

He was a veteran who proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Iceland from 1/16/1951 to 12/5/1952 where he earned the rank of PFC before being honorably discharged.

Jim married the love of his life, Hazel F. Furbush, on February 9th, 1957 and they lived happily in their home on Western Ave. in Waterville until cancer took her from us on May 9th 1980. We take comfort in knowing they are now together again.

He worked for the Waterville Morning Sentinel alongside his father Frederick Sr. and two of his brothers, Frederick Jr. and Robert Sr. Jim worked in the Composing Room doing Linotype for the newspaper for 37 years before retiring on February 8th, 1990.

Throughout his life and career he was liked by many and was a loyal friend. In his younger years he occasionally liked to play a round of golf with friends and brother Bob. In his later years, he enjoyed the time he spent with his brother John reminiscing and telling stories of the good old days.

Jim’s true passions were hunting & fishing especially with his sons and being in the great outdoors. He spent many a day doing just that after his retirement. His other passion was long drives along the Maine coast where he enjoyed sitting down eating a couple of lobsters. But Jim’s greatest legacy was his dedication to his family. He was a great husband and father. He will be sadly missed.

Jim was predeceased by his wife of 23 years, Hazel, his Father and Mother; his brothers: Frederick D., Jr. and Robert Sr. Surviving are his two sons, James, Jr. and wife Melissa of Skowhegan and Allen of Waterville; his sister Claire and her husband Richard Rumney of Belfast; his brother John and his wife Dana Jacques of Waterville; two grandsons: Michael and wife Rachel, Thomas and wife Brooke; as well as many nephews and nieces.

A Gathering and Reception will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017 from 1 to 3 p.m. with a memorial service to follow at 3 p.m. with Military Honors at Veilleux Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Waterville. Please visit www.veilleuxfuneralhome.com to view a video collage of Jim’s life and to share condolences, memories and tributes with his family. Burial will be later in the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, Civic Center Drive, Augusta.

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The following eulogy was given by James E. Jacques, Jr. in honor of his father on Saturday March 18, 2017:

In Remembrance of my Father

To: family members and friends in attendance today. Thank you for coming. My father would have been honored by your presence and in knowing that he touched so many lives in so many ways.

There are no words to ease the pain of losing a parent. No words to express the love loss. No longer can I drive over to the house and sit down with him as father and son as I had done in the pass. And seek his advice about something that was troubling me.

His words were the law in our house. I used to fear him but I never thought he was already teaching me some of the most valuable lessons in life, like standing up for yourself and fighting for what you believe in. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. He was a man of strong values. As I grew older, I slowly understood why he treated us like that. He was preparing us for life on our own someday. In my later years I grew to understand what a compassionate man he really was. Especially in the way he took care of us and my mother in her later years when she was sick. I learned that the most important thing to him was us, his family. And family didn’t just start and stop at our door. Just ask his sister Claire about how many time he traveled out of state to bring her and her kids back to Maine while my Uncle Reggie was deployed somewhere in the world. Though he may never have said it out loud I know that he was really proud of what we had become. We are who we are now because we had a father like him. For those who knew my father well, know that he never expressed his feelings. You only had to see the look on his face to see if you had done something good. Or see the look in his eyes to know that you were in trouble.

My father was one of those men who earned everything by working hard for it. I remember the countless hours he worked nights at the Morning Sentinel. Were dad worked for 37 years. It was during the winter months I remember him getting off work. My Uncle John and Him either under their vehicles repairing them or out on the road plowing driveways to earn extra money to provide for their families. My Mother was cut from the same cloth as my dad. She used to work late into the evening hours baking cakes for someone’s wedding or birthday the next day so we could afford to go to the coast or maybe New Hampshire on the week end. I didn’t know it at the time but life’s lessons had already begun at an early age.

Dad was always very passionate about his hunting and fishing. I will always cherish the memories we had on the road or in the woods hunting. Or in a boat or the blind along the river duck hunting. (Note: Wood duck’s) Or while sitting in his boat on Moosehead Lake fishing on a cold day freezing our butts off and having a great time catching fish. (Note: two stories about fishing.)

Dad saw a lot during his life time. He was born during the great depression. He worked on his Uncle Jacks Turkey farm just so he could eat as a young man. I remember asking him once, what would happen if he were late to supper. His reply was, if you were late to supper that night there was nothing left eat. You went to bed hungry. He saw his two older brothers serve in World War II. Dad served in the United State Army during the Korean War. And after being honorably discharged he returned home. This is where he meet my mother working for my Grandmother Jacques. Love had found a home between the two of them and they were married on February 9th, 1957. They were married for 23 years before cancer took her from us at age 44.

He was a proud man that never liked to ask for help but would lend a hand to anyone in need of help. When offered money for his help he always refused. He would just tell the grateful person just make sure the next time you see some in need of your help just do so that would be payment enough.

In his final years he enjoyed listening to music on the T.V. and reminiscing about the good old days with his brother John. He was always asking about his favorite daughter in law, my wife Melissa the daughter he never had. And always asked about his two pride and joys, his grandsons Michael and Thomas. He was very proud of them all. One of his favorite things was to get out of the house and take a ride with my brother down to the Red Barn and enjoy one of their famous lobster rolls.

He will be sadly missed and I shall take comfort in knowing that he’s in a better place and once again by my mother side. May you rest in peace?