James A. Shanahan Jr.

MANCHESTER - James A. Shanahan Jr., lifelong resident of Manchester, passed away on Feb. 27, 2013, in Naples, Fla., where he and his late wife Judy wintered for more than 25 years. He was 86.

Jim was born March 18, 1926, in Manchester, the son of the late James A. Shanahan Sr. and Clara Slattery Shanahan. He graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1943 and then attended Dartmouth College, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and the Dragon Senior Honor Society. His college years were interrupted by his service in the U.S. Army during World War II, and he served in the 35th Infantry Division. Jim fought in the Battle of the Bulge where he was wounded, was awarded a Purple Heart medal, and subsequently returned to the front and was part of the closest Army division to Berlin when peace was declared in Europe. After graduating from college in 1948, he attended Boston University School of Law, where he received a law degree in 1951.

Jim returned to Manchester after law school where he earned his Certified Public Accountant certification and joined his father's accounting firm, which eventually became part of Deloitte & Touche. He was the managing partner of Manchester's Deloitte & Touche office for many years before his retirement in 1988.

A man of great integrity, intelligence and wisdom, Jim was frequently sought out for his advice and counsel as a businessman, mentor, friend, husband, father and grandfather. As a CPA and attorney, his professional and civic accomplishments touched almost every aspect of Manchester life.

Jim was passionate about politics and very active in the Democratic Party. He offered his financial expertise to national, state and local campaigns and was a delegate for the 1964 Democratic National Convention.

Jim was an ardent Red Sox fan, a season-ticket holder for both spring training and regular season games. A loyal Dartmouth alumnus, he attended at least one football game in each of the last 79 years, except for one "bogey" while he served his country during World War II. He was an avid tennis player and also enjoyed combining his love of history with worldwide travel with his wife, Judy. In his retirement, he cultivated an extensive sports memorabilia collection.

As a community and professional leader, he served in many capacities throughout his life: president of the N.H. Society of CPAs, the N.H. Chapter of the National Association of Accountants and the Manchester Historic Association; chairman of the N.H. Board of Accountancy and the City of Manchester Trust Funds; member of the Manchester Housing Authority and the N.H. Bar Association; director of Merchants National Bank, First Bancorp of N.H., and the United Way of Manchester; commissioner of the Manchester Police Department, the N.H. Lottery Commission, and the Manchester Housing and Redevelopment Authority; Finance Committee member of Catholic Medical Center; trustee of The Derryfield School, Franklin Pierce College, the McIninch Foundation and the Norwin and Elizabeth Bean Foundation; and tour guide of the Currier Museum of Art's Frank Lloyd Wright Zimmerman House.

Jim is survived by his four children, James A. Shanahan III of Manchester, Gay E. Shanahan and her husband, James Goldenberg, of Duxbury, Mass., Thomas G. Shanahan and his wife, Susan Stacy, of Barnstable Mass., and Elizabeth A. Shanahan and her partner, Alexander Zale, of Bozeman, Mont. He also leaves 10 grandchildren, Peter, Brett, Aidan, Angela, Regina, S. Gray, Samuel, Lilian, Tevis and Yulissa. He had two sisters, Jane S. Anderson of Hamden, Conn., and the late Patricia S. Jordan of Friendship, Maine.

Jim's life was a series of well-hit baseballs - his influence was steady and incremental, but he made the plays that make the difference.

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services: Visiting hours will be from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the Goodwin Funeral Home, 607 Chestnut St., Manchester, today, March 4. The Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, 207 Hemlock St., Manchester, on Tuesday, March 5. Interment at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Bedford, will follow a gathering after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the General Fund or the William Green Fund of the N.H. Charitable Foundation, 37 Pleasant St., Concord 03301. Visit goodwinfh.com to sign the online guestbook.

(Second day notice.)