A tribute to Jim Foss by Elizabeth Foss and Jim Foss Jr.

My father was born James Arthur Foss, Sr. on September 22, 1938. He died on Sunday, February 18, 2024.   My dad, Jim, was a strong man who helped me get through my life, dealing with lots of things. He would give you the shirt off of his back.  To know him is to love him.  We didn't have many material things, but what we had was necessities.  After serving in the Coast Guard on the Eastwind Ship, he came back to take care of his family. He worked hard to put food on the table and clothes on our backs. He worked hard to make sure each of us had what we needed.  First, he worked at the Barnacle Restaurant and Dills Restaurant and then for the Marblehead Highway Dept, and in the wintertime he plowed snow. Often working three jobs at a time and racing home in between to put food on our table. Afterward, he had his own business landscaping. He worked very hard at what he did. During the summertime, we went to musters. He was involved with the Gerry 5 and The OKO's from Marblehead.  He was on a dart team, and played darts and cards with Jimmy.  We also went camping which he enjoyed very much. Our mother and the kids were there for the whole summer and he came up on weekends just to be with us.  He loved his animals, especially his dog Luna. He was a great father, husband and friend.  While working his many jobs, he seldom was able to join his family for holidays, but later in life, he made sure that his children could be together for all of the holidays, complete with his delicious cooking.  It was a treat to eat his apple suet pudding and all kinds of pies. He will be missed very much.

He leaves his daughter, Elizabeth, and her fiancé Donald Allen, and his son James Jr., grandchildren, great grandchildren and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Etta, son Elliott, daughter Tina, and granddaughter Angela and great grandson Trex. He will be loved and missed.

The family wants to thank Care Dimensions and the Kaplan Hospice House in Danvers for the respectful and loving care they gave Jim at the end of his life.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Care Dimensions https://giving.caredimensions.org/ or to the wonderful Rescue Organization that helped to rehome Jim's beloved cats: PAWS at pawswakefieldma.org . Donations can also be made to the GoFundMe that is paying for care of Luna, Jim's beloved dog:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/luna-get-medical-care-and-a-new-home?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

A Viewing will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, February 22, 2024 at Murphy Funeral Home 85 Federal Street, Salem, MA with a Funeral Service to follow at 11 am.  Burial will be held at Waterside Cemetery 294 West Shore Drive, Marblehead, MA following the funeral service.