Rev. James Brooks MacGee

1930 - 2017

Rev. James Brooks MacGee, OMI
Missionary Oblate Priest for 60 Years

Rev. James Brooks MacGee, OMI, age 86, died on October 10, 2017, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Born in Newton, Massachusetts, he was a son of the late Albert Carleton MacGee and Alice (Oddie) MacGee. Fr. MacGee was predeceased by a foster son, Anthony Wayne ("Tony") Martin.

Fr. MacGee was educated at Boston College High School. He began his Oblate life at Our Lady of Hope Mission Seminary in Newburgh, New York, in 1949. He entered the Oblate Novitiate in Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1951, where he made his first profession of vows on September 8, 1952. He professed final vows on September 8, 1955, in Essex, New York. He was ordained to the priesthood in Washington, DC, on June 8, 1957. He receive a B.A. in Philosophy from Oblate College in Washington in 1954; an M.A. in Theology from Oblate School of Theology in 1958; an S.T.L from Catholic University in 1958; and an M.A. in History and Education from Catholic University in 1962. He pursued further studies in Ecclesiastical History at Gregorian University in Rome. In the summer of 1968, he was a Fulbright Scholar through Georgetown University and Jo-Chi University in Tokyo, Japan.

Fr. MacGee was assigned to the Secretariate in Rome, Italy, from 1958 until 1961 and took part in the preparation for Vatican II. After returning to Washington in 1961 to pursue further studies at Catholic University, he was assigned to teach at Bishop Fallon High School in Buffalo, New York, from 1962 to 1972, where he also served as Academic Dean. He is still remembered very fondly by his former students.

From 1972 until his retirement in 2015, Fr. MacGee engaged in pastoral ministry in parishes in Princeton, Union and Mullens, West Virginia; Pearisburg, Virginia; MacKenzie, British Columbia; Panama City and Crawfordsville, Florida; and Howland, Maine. During his time in West Virginia and Virginia, Fr. MacGee was a registered foster parent in both states and cared for a number of foster sons.

Wherever he served, Fr. MacGee was a great outdoorsman. He even walked the Appalachian Trail. He also loved to drive the open road.

In 2015, in declining health, he retired to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence until his death.

Fr. MacGee is survived by a foster son, Russell Simpson, of Stafford, Virginia, and by a great host of people who came under his pastoral and personal care over many years.

MACGEE -- Services and calling hours will be in the Chapel at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury. Calling hours will be on Monday, October 16, 2017, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place in the Oblate cemetery at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence.

Donations in memory of Fr. MacGee may be made to the Oblate Infirmary Fund, 486 Chandler Street, Tewksbury, MA 01876-2849.

The McKenna-Ouellette Funeral Home, 327 Hildreth Street, Lowell, MA, is in charge of arrangements. For condolences, please visit www.mckennaouellette.com.