James Crowley

James Crowley, 100, passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2018 in Troy New York with his family at his bedside.

Jim was born on October 16, 1917 in Wilmington, New York on the family farm. He was the son of Celina D’Avignon and Thomas Crowley.

After high school, Jim attended Syracuse University and went on to attend Bliss Electrical School in Washington, DC. After graduation, Jim accepted a position with IBM in Hartford, Connecticut. After IBM, Jim accepted a position with New York Telephone Company working in Troy, Schaghticoke, Glens Falls, and ultimately in Saranac Lake, New York where he was a lifelong resident.

Jim married Kathleen Anita Devlin at Holy Name Catholic Church in Au Sable Forks, NY on 28 December 1940. This past December Jim and Kay celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary with their family.

Jim and Kay are the parents of 5 children Robert (Sally) of Lake Placid, NY; Thomas (Nancy) of The Villages, FL; Richard (Barbara) of Cicero, NY; Christine (Carl) of Duanesburg, NY; and Patrick (Margaret) of Castleton, NY. Jim and Kay have 13 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren, which were his pride and joy as he was a 100% family man.

Jim was the youngest of 9 children and was predeceased by his father and mother, 4 brothers (John, Leo, Francis, Harold) and 4 sisters (Dorothy Florence, Eleanor and Alice).

Jim attended grade school in Au Sable Forks, NY and high school in Lake Placid, NY where Jim starred in basketball and football. He and his brother, Harold, still hold many football records. Jim was kindly known to his family as The Gentle Giant. Jim retired from NY Telephone in 1972, and he and Kay spent the next 30 years spending 6 months in Saranac Lake and 6 months in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Jim enjoyed retirement playing tennis, golf, walking, swimming and riding his bicycle. Jim was a member of the Saranac Lake Elks Club, the St. Bernard’s Knights of Columbus, Saranac Golf Club, and the Saranac Lake Bowling League.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake in the Spring with Father John Yonkovig officiating. Burial will follow at St. Agnes Cemetery in Lake Placid, New York. Jim’s grandchildren will be his pallbearers.

Family and Friends wishing to remember James Crowley can make memorial contributions to your local Hospice organization in care of the funeral home. Family and friends can also share their memories and sign the online guest book at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.