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James Seitz Obituary
Mr. Seitz lived in Upton for 53 years until moving to Petersham three years ago. He served with the U.S. Navy during the Korean Era, was a member of Teamsters Local 170, and worked for P.I.E. and Branch Trucking until retiring in 1990.
In addition to his wife, he leaves six children, James Seitz of Upton, Robert Seitz of Fall River, Cynthia Seitz-St. Louis of Cranston, RI, Donna Bishop of Douglas, and Michael and Benjamin Seitz, both of Petersham; three sisters, Zona Miller, Donna Haggerty, and Charlotte Schave, all of WA; 18 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at noon, Sat., Oct. 27, in the United Parish Church, Central Square, Upton. Private burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery, West Upton. There are no calling hours.
If desired, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Memorial Fund of the United Parish of Upton, Box 329, Upton 01568.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Williams-Pedersen Funeral Home, 45 Main St., Upton.
uptonfunerals.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for James Seitz
Dot & Rusty
October 16, 2008
Hey Jim - We miss you!
We may not have lived close by but we did have some fun times. Our old motorhome looked pretty good parked out behind the house on - oops CRS! What was the name of the street there in Upton? Anyhow - remember the window of the rig "just breaking out" while it was sitting there? And we vacuumed up the glass - is that nutty or what? Vacuuming the outside! Oh well. We had some good visits while you were in NH, too. Remember when we parked on the side of the road overnight and you started the generator up? Who would have thought I could move so fast and take such a big leap? Good thing I didn't sleep in the altogether, wasn't it? Bet Ben can remember that trip. We're so glad we too the sightseeing trip the Monday after Tina & Henri got married - who could have asked for a better chauffer? And yes, you were right - for once! The lights did not come on when the ignition was turned on - even if I had to get out in the rain to be sure. Never thought you would know what you were talking about! But with me navigating, working the windshield wipers, etc. and Cynthia driving, I thought we did right well! 'Tis your fault you didn't get to pay for lunch - you should have waited at the table w/us and you wouldn't have missed the tab! But the ice cream afterwards was delicious! Do you and Cynthia remember the time we were in NH and she and I were fighting about the bill in the restaurant? We think of that so many times. Lots of stuff we took for granted we can reflect on as time goes by. They say memories help and are always there - how true. Cynthia is doing well - a lot better than I could. She's a strong lady! Dot & Rusty
p.s. Aunt Dot - it was Old Grafton Rd.
Ye Olde Upton Homestead
October 16, 2008
Jim, relaxing and waiting for the Bishop Clan to get going
October 16, 2008
3 "mouseketeers" & Grandmother
October 16, 2008
Dennis Bishop
October 14, 2008
Well Jim, been almost a year and a few things to report;
Cynthia reminded your two daughters that you would be doing a “chicken dance” if you saw them letting the two dogs lick the plate and pan. She caught Donna but Tina was "hiding" over in the living room. As you know by now, Lucky is roaming around up there with you in case you were wondering who the white fluff ball is.
Needless to say, we still make the hike up to Petersham to see how things are going. It still feels odd that your physical presence in the garage is not there. We still feel your non-physical presence. Perhaps the Sam Adams in the fridge has something to do with it but We continue to hoist the toast to you whenever we visit the fridge.
We had a cookout over the summer and Bob did the cooking. He put your rain hat on and it was an eerie likeness except of course everyone was complaining about not having any trout. Actually, it was henry and me. Ok, Ok, it was me!
I took back my Christmas Fishing Bobber that is 1 ½ feet long before it ended up in a lake and Cynthia gave me the Top Hat. The Hat sits on the Trophy Case along with a Green Bay Packer HOFer Autographed Ball and the Boober goes out under the overhang for Christmas. Alexandra and Angelene each have one of your flannel shirts. Alex keeps hers in plain sight hanging on a hook while we know Angelenes is somewhere in her room. Then again, we are afraid to look as who knows what we might find in Angelene’s room.
BTW, I might have spilled the beans with your tumble down the stairs with the +/- Sam Adams that Cynthia wasn’t suppose to know about and no I have yet to tell her how much the chauffeuring fees you made when delivering me to/from the airport during the Federal Gov’t days.
Sam turns 80 and Donna ran into Ann and she thinks he may be having Alzheimer’s as he actually missed her when she went to Fl for a year. Of course, that is Ann’s story! I guess Benjie stopped in to visit him when he was in Upton but of course found him at the Wildwood according to Donna. Good to know that some traditions still prevail.
So, Life goes on for the rest of us - Some days better than others.
Will be packaging this up into a memory book so perhaps some of the above is for Cynthia to read and wonder about (especially the "beer money") but hopefully it will bring a smile to her face over some of the events we didn't quite mention previously.
Lisa~Marie Seitz
August 19, 2008
Nearly a year later and I am finally adding most of what I gave to the church for his memorial service. I didn't think I would cry so much doing this but I am. I miss you so much grampa......
The first memory that comes to my mind is way back when grampa had his pick up truck. I was young, not sure exactly what age, but myself and the younger family members climbed into the back of the truck, (when you could do that) and grampa treated us all to ice cream down at scoops ice cream on rt 140. The day was quite warm, the kids were excited. I got a bubble gum ice cream cone. When all the kids were ready, we jumped back into the back of the pick up truck and tried to eat our ice cream cones, in warm weather, hitting every single bump on 140 and most of that ice cream landed on us, in our hair. Grampa loved every single minute of us kids making a mess of the truck and ourselves. Then we were treated to bathe in the big metal tubs filled with ice cold well water in either our bathing suits or under-roos.
Being the “grandkid leader”, it was awesome getting permission to use a lighter to light fire crackers and throw them into the cellar hole. But, then we saw a police car in the new development behind the house. It must have been a sight seeing all us grandkids run our butts off to hide in the house. The parents had no clue until the cruiser came into the driveway and Grampa had to talk to the officer. Needless to say, we couldn’t do that anymore. Our Hero!
Hearing grampa calling me and every other female family member “Dolly”. Guess that was much easier than remembering everyones names.
Tent camping outside the trailer at Davidsons Campground, going to grampa’s favorite fishing spots, listening to him tell me what works best to catch the brookies and learning about microbrews, yes, beer.
Grampa hanging out with “His Boys” – you know who you are.
Grampa sleeping in the lawn chair, ANY lawn chair, and snoring away.
Holding Grampas hand in the family pew, listening to a sermon and praying for those away at war. Even after the prayer was over, he continued to hold my hand.
I love my grampa, a fun loving guy who could talk your ear off if you wanted to listen to all his stories. He had many,many stories. I will miss them and I will miss grampa.
I love and miss you grampa.
Donna Bishop
August 19, 2008
These words are from Donna, her daughters and friends.
Ben was right. I tried to come up with a few sentences to you what my favorite memories and thoughts were about my Daddy, and it is impossible to summarize a lifetime of treasures in a few words.
I was so lucky to have moments alone with Daddy in the last couple of weeks. I was able to thank him for teaching me total appreciation. He taught me to appreciate nature and everything in it. The smell and feel of fresh fertile earth to know when to plant. How to tell when the dough was alive by simply touching and smelling it. How to combine herbs and sauces simply by smelling and tasting. Just this past summer, he made the most incredible rotisserie chickens. Angelene’s favorite memories are about his chickens. “They’re so good and I always ate a ton it.” Who else would have thought to try a few drops of gin in the basting liquids – what amazing meals he made with those huge calloused hands of his. He taught me how to look at a bird and recognize the subtle differences that make up the many different kinds. It was that way with everything; trees, flowers, grasses, rocks, clouds, music, even the way the wind blew. He taught me to appreciate the details and the differences.
On one particularly beautiful fall day, I remember complaining that I didn’t have a camera to take pictures with. He told me then that I didn’t need a camera. All I had to do was take a deep breath, soak in the beauty, and take a mental picture and store it away in my mind. And you know what? when you take that deep breath, you also store away the smell of that moment. The smell of freshly fallen leaves on a cool fall day, just like yesterday, is still my favorite smell.
Both of my daughters were so lucky to spend lots of time with Mom and Dad when they were younger. Alexandra said she’d always remember Grampa sitting in his chair with a book in his lap and how he always listened to her babble on…..some times he’d even fall asleep while she was rambling.
My cousin Jennifer said in an e-mail that he was always laughing at family gatherings and he always made her feel welcome. My girlfriend Gail said that even though she’d only met him briefly, she knew he was a good man because of the family he had. Eve giggled with me about the time on perch rock when he kept baiting the hooks with the worms, over and over again, and complain that we were supposed to be catching the fish, not feeding them.
Lastly, my dearest and most treasured memories are for all the times when it felt like no-one else in the world loved me….when I felt that I couldn’t do anything right, he would invite me into his lap. He wrapped me up and made me feel like the most precious thing in the world to him. I loved my Daddy so much while he was here, and I will love him forever in my heart.
5 Kegs of Beer
April 25, 2008
Mike Seitz
April 24, 2008
rec'd from Mike Seitz. Originally sent on 10/25/07 to the Church for the Eulogy.
My Friends say they are sorry for my loss. I thank them, and after some thought, I asked myself the question, "what have I lost?".
I have lost being able to sit with Dad on a Sunday Afternoon and discuss news, politics and power tools. I have lost having him along on various outings, and the amusing commentary on other drivers. Yes, I can still hear his voice. If I am still, I can hear his words of calm and soothing advice. I can hear his kidding to his grandchildren when they amused him. I can even hear a bit of a song now and then, when the moment struck him.
I can't look right at him, but I can close my eyes and see him in a thousand ways. Everytime I see a fisherman watching his rod, I will see Dad. When I hear an 18 wheeler idle down the hill into town, I will see Dad behind the wheel.
Instead of visiting Dad a couple times a week, I will have him with me always. I see him in the cornfields on a fall day, looking for a pheasant. I can feel him near when I smell fresh dirt in a garden. He really is all around me, close by.
My relationship with Dad has changed over this years, and this is another change we must face. I have not lost, I have gained. Dad believed in the Gospel of Christ, and so do I. This is just a temporary parting of ways.
Goodbye Dad, until we meet again.
cheryl Mcfetridge
February 9, 2008
Dear Mrs. Seitz, i am sorry for the loss of your husband and a fine father to great kids. i just found out about your loss and wanted to send my sympathy to you from my family. god bless. cheryl M
James Peter & Sharon Seitz
December 5, 2007
I'm the first born, quietest and most likely the one that moves slowest through life, much like a farmer. The reason I say this is that Dad taught me how to garden and grow things and respect nature. He once told me that I would have been a good farmer. I believe Dad was better because he planted seeds (sons and daughters) and nurtured and watched them grow. Just as in nature, a farmer in life needs to rest, leaving the seed for the next generation to do the same.
Dad was a wonderful person who was loved by us all. He will be sadly be missed.
Tina Seitz-St.Louis
December 5, 2007
I think it was 2002. The annual Perseid meteor shower was supposed to be particularly active this time, passing closer than it has in years. Dad had always been a sci-fi fan, so the stars and all things celestial always got his attention.
Well, I've always been captivated by the heavens as well, and shared his love for sci-fi. I believe he read just about every sci-fi book I bought!
So, with our heads in the stars there was no way we were going to miss this show. I drove up from Cranston the night before, settled in for a short sleep. Dad and I got up at 3 AM so we could go to the top of the hill on Williams Street. (Ma thought we were crazy, but she still had the coffee pot ready to plug in when Dad went down to the kitchen.)
We were up on Williams Street with a half-dozen other cars, counting the shooting stars.We counted over one hundred of them.
There's no punchline to this, no little plot twist. This is just one small event and one small memory that demonstrated Dads sense of wonder that he had right up to the day he died. Even in the hospital he wanted his curtains open at night because he thought Worcester looked so pretty at night, and the sunrise came right up over Bell Hill for him.
Dad, you got to walk me down the aisle three weeks ago today (day of memorial service). That meant just as much to me as anyone can imagine, especially as the writing was already on the wall. Henri will miss that morning coffee with you. He says he couldn't have asked for a better father-in-law. I certainly couldn't have had a better father.
Ben & Jill Seitz
December 4, 2007
Dad,
Thank you for being there for us and the kids. Your support and love we will never forget.
The family outings, the kids sporting events. Your presence always made it special.
Thank you Dad for everything,
We Love You,
Ben & Jill
Victoria Seitz
December 4, 2007
My Grandpa passed away on Oct. 22, 2007. He was a strong, caring, loveful, smart person who loved fishing. I think he's strong because he tried to fight the cancer. He did not give up early. He was so caring because he used to come to every one of my home softball games and some of my away games. He was loveful because he always was there when I was sad. He would also give me hugs too. He was smart when I needed help with my geography or nature homework. One thing I loved about Grandpa is that he was a very good cook. I loved his homemade potatoes. I also loved when he called me "Sugar Babe" I thought it was cute! There are so many memories I can think of, but I do have a few. Since both of my Grandpas passed away from cancer, this made me figure out what I want to be when I grow up - a nurse. This is for me to help people, maybe even find a cure for cancer.
Ben A Seitz Jr
December 4, 2007
There are many things I remember about Grandpa and I'm going to talk about them in this paragraph. First, I really liked when Grandpa took me fishing. Second, I liked when he would say a funny phrase when we got back from some place, and it was "Home again, home again, jiggety jog!" Next I liked when he would always take me to chorus, or watch me play baseball, basketball or soccer. Then, I liked when he would watch me when I was outside working on the John Deere that was bought for him. Last, I liked when he would go to the Country Store or the drugstore, and buy me some candy or soda or both. He was a cool, great, grandfather, and even if I could take any grandfather in the world I would choose hime any day.
Jan Gregory-Charpentier
November 10, 2007
Dear Seitz Extended Family,
My thoughts and prayers continue to be with you as you live into these days, weeks and months of living without Jim in your everyday lives. Though his spirit is in you and with you, his death leaves a big hole. My God fill that emptiness with love, joy, gratitude and faith. May you feel both Jesus' and Jim's arms around your heart. Blessings, Rev. Jan
Donna Haggerty
November 6, 2007
HELLO TO THE BISHOP FAMILY;
JUST FINISHED THE GUEST BOOK YOU FOREWARDED TO ME.. THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH. @@@@ I'VE NEVER MET YOU DENNIS , BUT GOD BLESS YOU FOR THE
BEAUTIFUL WRITE UP IN THE GUEST BOOK..
SHOWS MUCH APPRECIATION &!!! LOVE FOR MY YOUNGER BROTHER JIMMY...
HELPED ME TO SHED FEW MORE LATE TEARS THAT WERE NEEDED..
LOVE TO ALL..... AUNT... DONNA..
GOD BLESS
Jay Ferris
October 29, 2007
Our sympathies to your Mom and to you Donna and Dennis and family and to all of your siblings and their families..... We know how hard it is to experience the loss of a parent, may your continued faith in God be with you all during this time.
Jay and Karen Ferris and Family
Holly Dion
October 28, 2007
Dear Donna ( Dennis and family too),
I just heard about your Dad. It is Sunday eve. and my Mom had called about my own Dad having been admitted into the hosp. and she mentioned your Dad. I was horrified. I would have been there for you, please know that. I have a very warm place in my heart for you and I always will. Our school days together were seemingly carefree and as we bopped between our homes I think we thought it would be like that forever. Thankfully the memories will help freeze some of those moments of time. No matter how much time passes or how seldom we actually speak, it is uncanny how we can still possess the deep caring that only true friends can hold. I am thinking of you, Donna, now and so often. You are all in my prayers and please extend my heartfelt sympathy to your Mom. Skip would also like to extend his condolences, as your Dad and he were friends I discoverd from their teamster years. What a small world. My love and prayers to you.- Holly
Jennifer (Baker) Provo
October 24, 2007
Family gatherings in Upton are amongst my fondest childhood memories. Jim always made me feel welcome and included. His laughter, smile, and cooking will be missed very much. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.
Gail Catanese
October 24, 2007
Dear Donna, Dennis, Girls and family,
I wish there was a different term to use at this time because the cliche, "I'm so very sorry". But I AM so very sorry to hear about your dad's death. I never knew Jim directly, but knowing the rest of his family, he must have been 1 heck of a guy!! You will ALL be in my prayers and thoughts in the days, weeks, months ahead. PLEASE let me know if there is anything I can do at ANY time. I love you all!
Seitz family at 2006 CampOut
October 24, 2007
One of the wackiest 12 Days of Christmas Skits
October 24, 2007
Dennis
October 24, 2007
October 24, 2007
As the Senior Son-in-Law it seems the obituary does not do total justice to Jim. Jim, was also the 1st police Sgt.,for the Town of Upton where he resided for over 50 years. Like, he said, he had to learn to drive truck so he could raise that growing family. He was a life time member of the fish & rod club and was the premier outdoor cook when it came to big game and chicken feeds being done over the Pit. Jim was active in the Grange and the Upton Fire Department and was always a mainstay at the Musters.
A friend to many in the Town of Upton, he also served in numerious capacities for the united parish of which his wife was a 3rd Generation Member. During his early years, Jim Served in the Navy on the Destroyer USS Witek from '48 - 52.
Describing Jim is easy. A laid back easy going person except when driving (what can I say, he was a teamster). Jim also loved to spend time at the campsite up in Meredith NH. That was something he did for 15 years. He enjoyed the calm and serentiy as well as the fishing expeditions at Davidson's Campground.
Jim taught his 2 grandkids (alexandra and angelene) how to fish (well he made a valiant attempt) at one of the Upton Fishing Derbies. Actually, at 9 & 8 it went more like this, "grampa, my worm is gone". He would rebait it again and again. Even though he'd try to show them how to do it, he was more than happy to keep doing it for 'em. When one of them caught a itty bitty thing, he made it sound like they had just landed a 3 lb perch! For me, he was glad I brought the beer.
Jim was also a regular at the Upton Donut Shop, VFW Hall, and Wildwood where he knew many a person and many a person knew him. Jim especially enjoyed his escapades with his two close friends, Sam Aldrich and John LeBrun.
He also helped engineer current Sheriff Guy Glodis's campaign wins in the Town of Upton.
No Jim, sometimes in a listing you can't seem to mention the complete resume but hopefully for others I added just a few more items.
I will miss hearing the Helllooooo Dennis whenever we arrived at the family cookout or visit. Safe journey Jim.
Sheryl A.
October 24, 2007
Donna,
Please let me know if I can do anything for you and your family. I'll miss your dad too.
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