James Patrick Mackey III

His 41-year career in Washington D.C. focused on national security. He was a recognized expert who made this country safer everyday behind the scenes as a dedicated career civil servant whose persistence, thoroughness, and interpersonal tools allowed him to collate information among various intelligence agencies and other contacts to prepare daily threat analysis for the National Counterterrorism Center which was passed to the highest levels of government daily. Whether it was during 9/11 in the Bunker with Dick Chaney or after his retirement on Cape Cod where he fielded calls during hurricane Katrina, he served his country with distinction.

As a Naval Officer on the USS Navarro, Director of Research for the Army Times, Editor of the first catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance for OMB (Office of Management and Budget), Consultant to the government with Lawrence Leiter, Security and Intelligence analyst for the Department of Energy’s Office of International Relations and Emergency Preparedness and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Supervisory intelligence officer at FBI Headquarters Strategic Information Operations Center (SIOC) and the global command and communications center (NCTC) while at Homeland Security he excelled in what he did because his work made a difference.

After retirement, he and his wife of 63 years, Dorothy E. Mackey (Conlin) designed, built and moved to their waterfront dream home on Little Pleasant Bay in Orleans, MA. When not traveling to one of the 70 countries they visited together, or spending time with their two sons James P. Mackey IV (Phuket, Thailand), and Timothy J. Mackey MD. (Sparta, NJ) or one of their five Grandchildren Sarah Mackey Kleinbaum (New York, NY), Michael Mackey (RIP), Brigid Mackey (Seatle, WA), Christopher Mackey (Sparta, NJ) or Katherine Mackey (Austin, TX) Jim enjoyed sailing, reading, and many friends. He worked part time as a National Security Consultant for Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, IL. He was a founding member of the Pleasant Bay Community Boating Association in 2003 because he strongly believed sailing should be available to all. He founded the Wealth Management Roundtable and the National Security and Foreign Affairs Book Clubs for Nauset Newcomers. He was a member of the Chatham Yacht Club, the Orleans Yacht Club, and the Namequoit Sailing Association and won the Arey’s Pond Catboat race due to the sailing skills of his tactician and dear friend Bob Parry. He supported the Boston College HS Alumni Club, the Holy Cross clubs of Washington D.C. and Cape Cod, the Naval War College Foundation, Friends of Pleasant Bay, the Men’s Orleans Coffee Club, Nauset Newcomers Wine Club and Couples Book Club. He was appointed by the Orleans Select Board to various committees, including the Orleans Safer Community Task Force where he wrote the report to help at risk persons with behavioral health needs leading to a reorganization of town’s health services.

Adopted, the only child of James P. Mackey Jr. and Marie J. Mackey (Meade) he was raised in Brookline, MA and remembered fondly his summers with family at his grandfather’s homes on Nantasket Beach (MA), Lake Cobbosseecontee (ME). Jim graduated Boston College High School (’55), the College of the Holy Cross (’59), Georgetown University (’67 ) with three Masters degrees in Government and International Relations, Strategic and National Security, and Business Administration, and the U.S. Naval War College (’90).

A funeral mass will be at St. Joan of Arc Church in Orleans, MA October 3rd at 11am with celebration of life to follow at the Orleans Yacht Club. Internment will be October 5th at Holyhood Cemetery in Chestnut Hill, MA. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Boston College High School at www.bchigh.edu/give or at 150 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125.