James ("Jim") Lee Hughes, Jr., age 87, formerly of Swampscott, Massachusetts, died on December 3, 2020, after a long illness. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nancy ("Nan") Neville Hughes, his three daughters, Kimberly, Tricia, and Kristin, his son-in-law Frank Dibert, and his daughter-in-law Deb Ghezzi. Jim was known as 'Papa' to his beloved granddaughters, Emma and Daphne, and his eight grand-dogs. He is also survived by his two sisters, Ann Restivo of Burlington, MA, and Mary Noonan of South Windsor, CT, and many nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his parents, James Lee, Sr. and Geneva, his sister Eleanor, and his sister-in-law Pat.

Born in Brockton, MA, in March 1933, Jim moved to Swampscott with his sister and parents in 1934 and was a near life-long resident of the town he loved. He attended St John the Evangelist Church parochial school, St John's Preparatory School in Danvers, and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, where he graduated as a proud member of the class of 1954. The friendships of his high school and college years endured long after graduation and were the source material for many well-told stories and cherished memories.

After college, Jim returned to Swampscott where he began his career in insurance, first with the Aetna Insurance Company and then independently, launching and running the Hughes Insurance Agency for 57 years before his retirement in 2017. Beneath the swirl of policies, actuarial tables, and deductibles, he saw his work as a tangible way of caring for loved ones and ensuring their well-being in the face of life's uncertainties. Jim envisioned himself as a first responder of sorts, reaching out to those in need to comfort and reassure in difficult moments. He always referred to his clients as "his people" and took his responsibility to them seriously and personally. Jim loved being part of important stages of his clients' lives: welcoming a new child, buying a first home, starting a new business, or grieving the loss of someone dear.

An avid sports fan and supporter, Jim was an assistant coach to the Swampscott football team under the legendary Stan Bondelevitch and took great pride in his players, several of whom advanced to professional careers in the NFL. In addition, he started the CYO basketball program for girls and boys at St John's Church in Swampscott, co-led the summer league basketball program for high school students with long-time friend Arthur O'Neil, and in his later years, coached the Swampscott High School golf team along with Bob Jauron.

Jim's coaching interests in football, basketball, and golf grew out of his own love for these sports. He played football in high school and college and was first introduced to golf while working as a caddy at Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead. He eventually joined the club as a young man and rose to become President of Tedesco in 1977. Jim always quipped that his memoir of that time should be entitled, Too Many Jellies, Not Enough Plain , to reflect the challenges of trying, and sometimes failing, to meet the often competing needs of multiple constituencies. Whether on a golf course, basketball court, or 50-yard line, Jim saw sports as more than a game but as a living metaphor for important life lessons, such as the power and value of teamwork, persistence, resilience, and friendship.

A locavore before such practice became fashionable, Jim believed in the power of community and was knit tightly into the fabric of Swampscott. He was active in town politics, was elected to several terms on the Swampscott Housing Authority, and was an ardent supporter of small, local, and independent businesses. As a small businessman himself, he valued the human touch: a solid handshake, a heartfelt conversation, a relationship honored, and felt they mattered as much as the bottom line. Generous to a fault, Jim donated his time, money, and enthusiasm to many causes, big and small, and was always looking to offer a hand to those in need. His Catholic faith inspired such attunement to others and served as both refuge and horizon for him. A lector and eucharistic minister for many years, Jim and his wife Nan were members of St John's intrepid 'dawn patrol,' a cohort of regulars who attended daily mass and often re-convened over breakfast to continue discussions both spiritual and secular.

Amid the hectic pace of work and family life, Jim always found time to attend his daughters' basketball games and track meets and could often be heard from the sidelines debating the merits of a particular call or foul. He would say that some of his happiest moments occurred on bleacher seats. In later years, such moments took the form of weekend doughnut outings with his grand-daughters and walks with his wife along the Swampscott-Lynn boulevard.

In the last months of his life, Jim spoke often about wanting "to go home" and was filled with long-ago stories of his childhood years. This strong desire and these recollections seemed to augur this final transition, and we hope, Jim, Dad, that you have indeed found your way home. Those whose lives you have touched will remember always your unfailing passion and fierce loyalty, and we, your family, will hold in our hearts your unflagging spirit, steadfast support, and enduring love. We are grateful for all you brought to our lives. We love you and we will miss you.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, from 10 AM to 12 PM at the Murphy Funeral Home, located at 85 Federal Street, Salem, MA 01970. A funeral mass will follow at 12:30 PM at St John the Evangelist Parish, located at 174 Humphrey Street, Swampscott, MA, 01907 and the burial following mass at Swampscott Cemetery, 400 Essex Street, Swampscott, MA, 01907. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to two of Jim's favorite organizations: St. Joseph's Indian School , P.O. Box 100, Chamberlain, SD 57325; tel: 800-584-9200; Web: https://www.stjo.org/ [A Native American school dedicated to improving the quality of life for Lakota (Sioux) children and families. Its mission is to educate Native American children and their families for life and help them reestablish pride in their culture by learning the Lakota language and studying Native American culture]; or The Gray House , 22 Sheldon Street, Springfield, MA 01107; tel: 413-734-6696; Web: http://grayhouse.org/ [A neighborhood human service agency founded by the Sisters of St Joseph in 1982 to meet their neighbors' immediate needs and address the root causes of poverty] For more information or to sign the online guestbook, please visit www.murphyfuneralhome.com or call 978-744-0497.