James E. Sheridan Jr.

Norwich - James E. Sheridan Jr., 87, of Groton, beloved father and grandfather, passed away on Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.

James, the second of four children, was born on March 23, 1926, in Hunter, N.Y., the son of the late James E. and Helen (Riley) Sheridan Sr.

He was married to Rosemarie Bookjans in 1955.

He is survived by five children, Maureen Beaver and her husband, Bob, James E. Sheridan III, Tom Sheridan and his wife, Alison, Kristine Devito and her husband, Frank, and Paul Sheridan and his wife, Jennifer; and seven grandchildren, Hailey, Julianna, Terra, Isabelle, Hazel, Violet, and Jack James.

Mr. Sheridan proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served as an armed guard gunner aboard four different liberty ships. He was a part of the "D" Day Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He also served as a Navy air gunners mate flying supplies into China, Japan, and the Philippines. James was pictured in the famous Alfred Eisenstaedt photo of the kissing sailor in Times Square at the war's end. He is the sailor in white, to the left of the kissing sailor. He was also featured in the film "Navy Heroes at Normandy". After his military service, he worked for Dairylee in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and was a volunteer firefighter. He then worked at IBM for 38 years where he became a senior administrator. He retired in 1988.

James loved to hunt and fish. The New York Yankees had a devoted lifelong fan in our father. He loved to tell jokes and was a skilled storyteller. He so loved his country and his family. His greatest joy though was getting to see his brand new and only grandson for the first time three weeks ago. We will greatly miss him and love him forever.

Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014, at Rushlow-Iacoi Funeral Home & Crematory, 64 Friendship St., Westerly. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Rhode Island Veteran's Memorial Cemetery Chapel, Exeter. Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

For online condolences, please go to www.rushlowiacoifuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Rhode Island Veteran's Home, 480 Metacom Ave., Bristol, RI 02809.