James Dilling Jim Wickwire, of Walpole, New Hampshire, died at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene on September 12, 2012, surrounded by his loving family, after a brief period of declining health.
Jim was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts on December 26, 1929, the son of the late Marguerite (Dilling) Wickwire and Warren Wickwire. He grew up in Winthrop and graduated from Winthrop High School in 1947. After high school, he attended Massachusetts Maritime Academy, graduating in 1950, with a degree in marine engineering.
On April 1, 1951, he married his high school sweetheart, Janet Pero, with whom he shared over 61 years of marriage.
Jim worked at sea as a marine engineer until 1954 when he took a job with Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, Connecticut. Jim and Janet settled in Manchester, Connecticut where they raised their family and lived for thirty years until Jims retirement from Pratt and Whitney in 1985. After retirement, Jim and Janet moved to Walpole where he was active in the community. He was a member of St Johns Episcopal Church and Hooper Golf Club.
Jim was an avid golfer and skier. He was a devoted fan of Boston sports teams, especially the Red Sox and Patriots. Proud of his Scottish heritage, Jim played the bagpipes and was a member of the Taggart Pipe Band in Manchester for several years.
Jim cherished his family above all else. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, son, and brother. In addition to his wife, survivors include his four children: James Dilling Wickwire, Jr. and his wife, Susan, of Redding, CT; David Scott Wickwire and his wife, Mary, of Simpsonville, SC; Jeanne Wickwire Upton and her fianc, Michael McBride of Phoenix, AZ; and Andrew Douglas Wickwire and his wife, Nancy, of Bedford, NH. In addition, Jim is survived by his brother, William Wickwire and his wife, Janet, of Dedham, MA. Jim is also survived by six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Jim was predeceased by his brothers Warren Peter Wickwire and Charles E. Hunt.
A service will take place at 2:00pm. on Saturday, September 15 at St Johns Episcopal Church, Westminster and Elm Streets, Walpole, NH. There are no calling hours and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jims name to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718 Oklahoma City, OK. 73123-1718 or to St Johns Episcopal Church, PO Box 179, Walpole, NH 03608. All services are under the direction of Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel, 44 Maple Ave. Keene, NH. 03431.
