James R. Courtney

James R. Courtney of Palm Beach, FL and Westerly, RI, 87, died peacefully on Tuesday morning, July 30, after a long struggle with the challenges of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. His loving family were by or close by to him at the time of his passing. On June 24, 2024 James was dealt a terrible blow when he lost his wife and best friend of nearly 67 years, Marguerite Bruso Courtney. He was the loving father of eight children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was uncle, great uncle, and great great uncle to more than 300 nieces and nephews. His large, boisterous, fun-loving family meant everything to him.

Son of Richard T. and Marguerite Dubois Courtney and one of nine children, James was born in Worcester, MA on July 11, 1937. He graduated from South High School in Worcester in 1957. In 1966 he earned his degree in Accounting from Nichols College in Dudley, MA. James worked as an auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) for 35 years. Before being promoted to management in the late 1980’s, he also served as AFGE Local 524 president. His proudest achievement at the negotiation table was securing for himself and his colleagues, a four-day, 40-hour workweek. He retired from his rewarding career in 2001. James relished his golden years “in paradise,” Palm Beach, as much as anyone could. All through his life he loved swimming, sailing, singing, reading, and playing cribbage with anyone who would give him a game. A devoted fan of all the sports teams from New England, he came to embrace two Florida teams, the Miami Heat and Tampa Bay Rays.

James is survived by two sisters: Jane Courtney Royer of East Templeton, MA and Paula Courtney Bouthiller of Oxford, MA. He is predeceased by six siblings: his brothers Richard T. Jr., Edward, and Eugene Courtney and sisters Louise O’Keefe, Marguerite T. Soutra, and Eleanor Toker. 

He leaves behind his loving family: daughter Virginia Courtney and husband Duncan MacCourt of Woburn, MA; son James Courtney and wife Cheryl of Onset, MA; daughter Marguerite J. Courtney of Redondo Beach, CA; daughter Elizabeth Courtney Blake and husband Jon of West Hartford, CT; daughter Angela Courtney of Palm Beach, FL; daughter Victoria Courtney and wife Candice Gaudinier of Lake Worth Beach, FL; son Nicholas Courtney and wife Harmony of Foxboro, MA. He also leaves behind eight precious grandchildren: James P., Meghan, Charles, Hannah, Theodore and Stella Courtney; Isabella Blake and Ian MacCourt. He was the great-grandfather of Giovanni and Emmanuel Lopez and Elise and James T. Courtney.

 A funeral Mass for James will be held at 11 am on Friday, August 16 at St. Andrew’s Church, 5 Spaulding Street, Worcester. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery. Visiting hours are Thursday, August 15 from 5 to 7 pm at Callahan Fay Caswell Life Celebration Home, 61 Myrtle Street, Worcester, MA. A hilarious, generous and often exuberant man, James will be forever missed and remembered by his many neighbors, friends and family.