James F. Wilcox Jr.

James F. Wilcox, Jr, 70, of Fall River passed away on Wednesday April 4 after a brief illness. He was the husband of 45 years of Elaine (Harrington) Wilcox. He was born in Fall River, the son of the late James F. Wilcox, Sr. and the late Sarah “Sally” Marie (Hession) Wilcox.

Mr. Wilcox was a lifelong resident of Fall River with a great dedication to the community. He was an educator in the Fall River School System for 43 years before retiring in 2006. Mr. Wilcox was a teacher at both the James M. Morton Middle School and B.M.C. Durfee High School, later serving as the chair of the History Department. Mr. Wilcox also served several terms as the president of the Fall River Educators Association.

Mr. Wilcox was recognized both locally and nationally for his work in research and instruction on the history of genocide, particularly the Holocaust. While at Durfee, he developed a course curriculum to teach young people about the history of genocide which became a national model for high schools across the country seeking to implement this curriculum. In 2005, he received both the Person of the Year Award from the Fall River Chamber of Commerce and the Recognition Award from the Tifereth Israel Synagogue in New Bedford. He also received the Distinguished Person Award from the Fall River CYO. In 1998 he received the Human and Civil Rights Service Award from the Massachusetts Teachers Association for his work. He was a graduate of BMC Durfee High School class of 1959, he received his Bachelor’s Degree from Stonehill College in 1963 and his Master’s Degree from Bridgewater State College in 1969.

Mr. Wilcox had a lifelong dedication to sports, especially the development and encouragement of youth athletics. He was former cross country and track and field coach at Durfee High School and Salve Regina College. He was a member and past president of the Massachusetts Track and Field Officials Association and the Massachusetts Football Officials. He was a member of USA Track and Field, earning the designation of master official, and was involved on a national level with this group, including serving as an official at the last two Olympic Trials. Locally, Mr. Wilcox dedicated numerous hours as an official with Massachusetts and Rhode Island Pop Warner Football and the Fall River CYO basketball league. He was a member and past president of the Jaycees and the Fall River Clover Club. Mr. Wilcox was a congregant, lector and Eucharistic minister at Holy Name Parish.

In addition to his beloved wife, he leaves his brother George W. Wilcox and wife Jane of Assonet. Mr. Wilcox also leaves his sons, James Wilcox and his wife Stacey of Framingham, MA, and Daniel Wilcox and his wife Kristen of Austin, TX, and his daughters Sarah (Wilcox) Cousineau and her husband Guy of Lakeville and Rebekah (Wilcox) Gendron and her husband Eric of Westport. Mr. Wilcox had 10 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Wilcox was also the brother of the late Mary Elizabeth Wilcox.

His funeral will be held on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 9am from the WARING-SULLIVAN HOME OF MEMORIAL TRIBUTE AT CHERRY PLACE 178 Winter St., Fall River followed by his Funeral Mass at 10am in Holy Name Church 709 Hanover St., Fall River. Visiting Hours will be Monday from 5 to 8pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Heart Association 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 or the National MS Society, New England Chapter, 101A First Ave, Suite 6, Waltham, MA 02451. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Fall River.