L. J. "Jim" Clary

L J “Jim” Clary

Jim Clary died March 25, 2017 at Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, St. Vincent’s Hospital.

He was born in Niagara Falls, NY on September 5, 1933. He attended Catholic schools graduating from Niagara University in 1956. He was a distinguished military student & received a regular army commission as a Second Lieutenant. He attended artillery training school at Ft. Sill OK, training at Ft. Benning, GA and was assigned to Korea for 16 months, serving in the 49th field artillery battalion of the 7th Infantry Division. He returned to the US and was assigned to Ft. Dix, NJ and left the service in 1960 with a rank of 1st Lieutenant. He moved to Florida where he joined the FL National Guard. He was in various units in Tampa and Jacksonville. He left the guard in 1967 with the rank of Captain in the 20th Special Forces.

He entered the property-casualty insurance business in 1960 and worked for the Insurance Company of North America until 1968. He left to become an insurance agent and worked in various capacities, his last place of employment being Bowditch Insurance Corporation.

During his career, he was twice elected President of the Professional Insurance Agents of Florida and the Caribbean. He served as a National Director of the Professional Insurance Agents of America for nine years and held the professional designation of Certified Insurance Counselor.

For 30+ years, he served the insurance needs of the seafood industry in Florida. He was a member of Southeastern Fisheries Association serving as a member of the board of directors. In 2003, the association awarded him the Gene Raffield Humanitarian Award for his work with the charity, Fish for Life.

He was a regular blood donor for 40 years until he was forced to stop after being diagnosed with Leukemia in 2004.

He was a member of the Metro Lions Club serving as president for two terms. He worked as a volunteer with the Division of Family Services, helping children in foster care and the families who cared for them. He was active in his church, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where he served as a minister of communion and was a member of the Knights of Columbus attaining the 3rd degree. He was involved in the Right to Life movement for over 30 years trying to end the evil practice of abortion. His favorite scripture was St. Matthew 25:31-46 and he tried his best live his life, in Christ, in service to his fellow man.

He leaves behind his greatest treasures, his children Kevin Clary and his wife Erin, Janene Morris, Julie Brown and her husband Stephen Byrd and Todd Clary. His beautiful grandchildren Emma, Wyatt, Georgia, Rachael, Joshua, Kaitlyn, Emily, Thomas, Cooper, Jackson, Ashtyn and Max.

Rosary will be said 6:30 PM Wednesday March 29, 2017 at the Corey-Kerlin Funeral Home, 940 Cesery Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32211 and a Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 AM Thursday March 30, 2017 at Resurrection Catholic Church, 3383 University Blvd. N., Jacksonville, FL 32277 with internment at 12:30 PM Thursday in the Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32218.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Franciscan Missionaries, PO Box 130, Waterford, WI 53185 or Maryknoll Missionaries, PO Box 307, Maryknoll, NY 10545.