LEICESTER: James F. Connery, Jr. 71 of King St., died Friday, April 1 in St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester after a courageous battle with diabetes.
He leaves his wife of nearly 50 years, Maureen E. (Hickey) Connery, his son James F. "Jake" Connery, III and his wife Neile of Cherry Valley, his daughters Julianne M. McCarthy and her husband Patrick and Jennifer R. Callaghan and her husband Brian all of Northborough, his mother Marilyn S. "Pete" Connery of Leicester, his sister Kathleen Connery Fitzgibbons and her husband Paul of Leicester, five grandchildren Molly, Isabella, Aidan, Sadie Grace and Meghan, several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his father James F. Connery, Sr. on March 12 and his grandson Owen Callaghan in 2009.
Jim worked as a salesman for Harry F. Lucy in Worcester for 17 years before becoming a regional sales manager for Carpenter & Co. of Richmond, Va., for 15 years, retiring in 2003.
He was born in Clinton, and raised in Leicester, graduating from Leicester High School in 1962 where he was a member of the 1960 Football Team that went undefeated. He later graduated from Leicester Junior College in 1964 and served his country as an Army Reservist during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the Cherry Valley American Legion Post 443, the Worcester Lodge of Elks, Hillcrest Country Club, and was a founding father of the Leicester High School Football Alumni Association. He was a former Parks Commissioner for the Town of Leicester. He was a member of St. Aloysius-St. Jude Parish.
Jim loved his family. He took great pride in watching his children and grandchildren navigate life's little adventures. He loved the ocean and enjoyed spending time in Falmouth with his best friends the Carneys.
The family would like to thank the dialysis unit and its' entire staff and especially unit director Dr. Robert Black for their compassionate care of Jim for the past 6 years, as well as the Pulmonary Care Unit at St. Vincent's Hospital for their exceptional care.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 6 from the MORIN FUNERAL HOME, 1131 Main St., Leicester with a Mass at 11 a.m. in St. Aloysius-St. Jude Church, 489 Pleasant St., Leicester. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Leicester. Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, April 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Leicester High School Football Alumni Assoc., P.O. Box 196, Leicester, MA. 01562.