James Jim Michael Caraher

James Michael Caraher, 83 of San Diego, passed away on Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at Sea Breeze Care Home in Alameda. James was born in Detroit, Michigan on December 23, 1929, the son of James and Charlotte (Reid) Caraher. James’ wife, Annelise, preceded him in death in 2010. They had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June of that year. He leaves behind a daughter, Eva-Maria and grandson, Mahal Nicolas.

James was the oldest of six siblings. From an autobiography class he took with his at San Diego State University in 2005 he recalls, “My parents were devout Catholics and strove to raise their children as devout Catholics. On Sunday we’d always go to the earliest Mass at our church. We would all go… My father was one of three brothers and one of the brothers lived in Peoria, Illinois, but the other lived near us. My mother was born into a family of ten children (five brothers and five sisters) and most of her sisters and brothers lived within walking distance of our house (which was good because we didn’t have a car). We had many cousins. There was a baby carriage that went from one family to the next as the babies arrived. I think all of us and all of our cousins rode in that baby carriage…. As soon as I was old enough, I had a paper route. At first I thought it was fun because I could ride my bike but it soon became old. At first I distributed throw away papers like “The Shopping News” but eventually I had a Detroit Free Press” route. I’d collect once a month for the newspapers. My brothers were clever enough not to get talked into anything like paper routes….”

Jim attended the University of Detroit with his sister Catherine, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, and after a recruiter came to show a movie on the beautiful Mojave Desert, he applied for the position. He had wanted to continue at the Rinshsed-Mason Paint Company, but there were no positions available. He worked at Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) in China Lake, California and went on to earn Masters Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering at USC and UCLA, respectively. He recalls: “The university had just attested that I knew everything I needed to know to begin as a Chemical Engineer. But it was still a leap in to the unknown. The sun was shining the day I left our home in Detroit.” James had registered for the draft during his high school graduation year, 1948, but he was deferred since he was studying Engineering and the country needed engineers. James continued working for the US Navy and had a 30 year career.

He met his future wife, Annelise, a native German, at an Irish dance in Los Angeles. They married in 1960, lived in Los Angeles and then designed their home in Glendale and adopted a daughter, Eva-Maria, in 1964. In 1974 the family moved, with Annelise's sister Trude, to San Diego for Jim's job with Naval Undersea Center (NUC), later Navel Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) in Point Loma. Jim and Annelise hosted many friends, friends' friends and family to their home and were enthusiastic hosts. They cared for two loyal Dachshunds and spent many summers in Germany.

James became fluent in German after he and Annelise married, and he and Annelise made many visits to Germany where they saw relatives of Annelise, had many friends and drove many many miles, rarely staying in hotels but rather in the company of loved ones. In retirement the couple traveled to many different places, in many different countries including the United States, and many trips up and down the coast of California- especially after their only grandson Mahal was born in 1995. They very much loved Mahal, and were always so excited and truly jubilant in greeting him when they saw each other. When they lived at Waterford Terrace in La Mesa – an independent retirement community, after they moved out of their primary residence on Galaxy Court- Mahal began the couple’s interest in pool (billiards) and they played regularly. James especially, took the time to take walks and play with Mahal during their visits together. The couple loved playing Jeopardy with the TV show each night and even tried out for the show in 2005.

James was active in numerous organizations, among them the Toastmasters, The Knights of Columbus, the US China Peoples Association and Friendship Force to name a few. He and Annelise pursued a wide variety of cultural, travel related, recreational and religious interests and they were also very generous to numerous charitable groups. For many years, Jim and Annelise hosted exchange students who attended San Diego State University and many long standing friendships developed. In fact, most who came into contact with Jim and Annelise, became their good friends who they continued correspondence with over many years and even decades. They ushered for plays, helped in their church community tirelessly and found time to call many relatives on their birthday to sing the birthday song. If you were lucky enough to have heard their singing on your birthday (often over the phone or message machine) you will have felt their love and dedication for their friends and family!

As his health declined from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and about a year after his dear wife, Annelise passed away, Jim okayed Eva to move him closer to her and Mahal, to northern California. He moved from an assisted living residence in Oakland close-by, then to a rehabilitation center also close-by in Alameda (after a fall broke his clavicle) and finally to a small board and care home in Alameda. He was in a wheelchair much of the time, and was coherent but could not participate as he loved to do. He enjoyed rides in the car to the Muir Woods, the Pacific coast and San Francisco, and wheelchair rides to get ice cream, birthday lunches and to see the beach. Jim died peacefully in the morning of 4/3/2013 after waking up from a difficult night. At his side soon after his death were Eva, Mahal and Renato (Mahal's father) along with the voices of family calling to wish best wishes upon hearing of his death.

A memorial service for Jim will be held at St. Therese Parish, 6016 Camino Rico, San Diego CA 92120 on May 10, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.

Friends and family are welcome.

His ashes will be placed in a niche next to his wife, Annelise's, at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in San Diego, as they had requested.

Donations to a Catholic or educational group or an organization supporting any underrepresented group, in lieu of flowers, would be a fitting tribute to Jim's memory.