James T. Frame Jr.

James T. Frame, 103, died peacefully on Sunday April 21st, at Bay Path Nursing Facility in Duxbury. Born in Melrose, MA, on Sept 12, 1909, he spent summers as a young child on Standish Shore on Duxbury Bay, in one of the houses built by his grandmother. His dad’s career as an engineer led them to Upstate Stamford, NY, where he and his older brother, Richard, distinguished themselves by hunting and trapping…frequently skunks!

He graduated from Dartmouth College and Amos Tuck School of Business during the Depression, and met his future wife, Janet Woelfle at his news stand on The Boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ. They married in 1934, and lived in Philadelphia, where children Nancy and Peter were born.

WWII found him serving in the Navy as communications officer on the USS Donner. After the war, he and his young family moved to the tiny town of Medfield, MA, where he and his friend Ed Daniels began a wholesale infants’ and children’s wear business called Pilgrim Infants’ Wear. Their fledgling business thrived and expanded, and the Frames spent 20 very happy years in Medfield. Jim was chairman of the school committee, a trustee of Medfield Congregational Church, played saxophone and bassoon in the community orchestra, built a pram on his family’s dining room table, square danced, and hosted many wonderful laughter-filled parties in their fine old 1680 house with his greatly loved Janet.

Summers found the Frames back on Standish Shore, until they finally moved permanently to Water Street in Duxbury in 1965, where he was an active member of the community, the Yacht Club, and Pilgrim Church.

When Janet died in 1994, Jim moved to the Village at Duxbury where he spent 18 very happy years, including a short and loving marriage to Mariana Finlay, who passed away shortly thereafter. This past year, he has been kindly and lovingly cared for by the amazing staff at Bay Path.

Jim is survived by his daughter Nancy Sveden, her children Erik and Marta, their spouses Susan Sveden and Tom Rackmales, and children Emily and Abigail Sveden, and Robert and Tizita Rackmales; and son Peter, his wife Cece and their children David and Jenny, their spouses Malia Frame and Jeff Falcone, and children Taylor, Sadie and Luke Frame, and Skyler and Jackson Falcone. He is also pre-deceased by son-in-law Ronald Sveden.

Jim will forever inspire us with his wit, patience, gentleness, goodness and love, and his total love affair with boats and the sea.

A celebration of his life will be held this Saturday, April 27th at 11am at Pilgrim Church in Duxbury. In lieu of flowers, any donations can be made in Jim’s name to Jordan Hospital and/or Pilgrim Church in Duxbury. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com