James L. D'Acosta

1927 - 2025

James L. D'Acosta
6/10/2025
James Louis D'Acosta, age 98, passed away peacefully on June 10, 2025, in New Canaan, Connecticut, following years of compassionate and expert care by the staff of Waveny LifeCare Network; led by CeCe Michel, Executive Director, Gadimir Altidor, Director of Nursing, and Wendy Smalick, Dietary Office Manager at the Village, and Katarina Tchakarov, Executive Director at the Inn.
He simultaneously received continuous spiritual support from The Congregational Church of New Canaan's volunteer Stephen Ministers, led by Beth Baker, under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Stephen Chapin Garner. As an active member, Jim led nearly every group at the church and participated in mission trips, as did Levora.
Jim was given opportunities by adoring and generous parents. Seizing these advantages, he rose by merit in his work and activities, lived respected and died regretted.
Born in Mexico City, April 7, 1927, he was a son and father of Freemasons. Growing to adulthood in the American community, Jim became fully bilingual and gained an enduring love of Mexico, its rich history and culture.
Drafted during his freshman year at Texas Tech University in 1946, Jim served for eighteen months in the 35th Infantry Regiment of the 25th "Tropic Lightening" Division, taking part in the occupation of post-war Japan.
He and older brother, Emil, a bombardier, were among the countless thousands spared the horror of combat by the development and use of the atomic bomb. Jim achieved the rank of Sergeant and promotion to Regimental Radio Chief.
Dashing in his uniform, it was nonetheless the maturing influence of military service upon his character, which marked his return to Lubbock; gone was the clumsiness which ignited a professor's lab coat two years before. He gained election to Silver Key Fraternity (later absorbed into Phi Delta Theta), met Levora, and focused his powerful mental and physical energies on getting on with life.
By age 30, he was a veteran and college graduate (B.S. Industrial Engineering, 1950), husband and father, and already advancing in his career with General Electric from hands-on manufacturing to managing personnel and to college recruiting.
Jim followed his parents in making weekly church attendance a cornerstone of family life. Favorite and guiding Bible verses included Psalms 23 "The Lord is my shepherd" and 90, "Teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom"; Ecclesiastes 3 ,"For everything there is a season"; and John 14:1, "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me".
By 45, he had joined his father in elected leadership of Masonic bodies, Emilio having led the Scottish Rite and Shriners, Jim serving as Worshipful Master of Toltec Lodge No. 1 in 1964 and Grand Master of the York Grand Lodge of Mexico in 1968. He later joined son, James Wade D'Acosta, as a member of Fidelity-St. Johns Lodge No. 3, in Fairfield, and was honored by the Grand Lodge of Connecticut with its Pierpont Edwards Award in Bronze in 2017, for distinguished fraternal and civic service.
By 60, he had become a GE corporate executive, serving the company in Mexico City, Dallas and Fairfield. This facilitated his and Levora's financing and insistence in the college education of their children, thereby laying solid foundations for financial independence and life-long intellectual growth.
A talented teacher, he conducted classes at GE's storied leadership academy on the banks of the Hudson River in Crotonville, New York, and developed and led the implementation of the company's leadership course throughout Latin America. A performance review in 1974 noted that Jim's "direct 'no nonsense' style needs to be understood to be appreciated."
In retirement, Jim spent more time with his children and grandchildren, joined and led New Canaan's Senior Men's Club, led boat building projects at Saxe Middle School with his Club buddies, took on more wood working projects in his home shop, joined a book club (usually history and biography) and wrote his informal memoirs, "Small Victories", with Levora.
In his 90s, he and Levora transitioned to apartments in New Canaan's Waveny LifeCare Network. Typical in this period, in referring to himself and Levora while on the phone with Carl, their oldest son, he said, "We think of you all the time. We wish you well in all you're doing. We love you."
His reaction to a photo of Emil's family was, "God bless them all," mirroring his habitual parting to his son, Jim, and grandson, Alex's frequent visits, "God bless you. Hasta luego."
Struggling against dementia, he fiercely defended his care and memories of Levora, the beauty queen of his youth at Texas Tech, whom he now awaits, confident in God's mercy in "The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns."
During their courtship at Tech, they inscribed each other's yearbooks: Jim to Levora in 1949, "Dearest Levora, The thoughts which are in my mind and heart can hardly be properly put into writing. The memories which you will have of me will not be written in year books, but have been and will continue to be written on the record book of our life as we have lived it together, and which has unwritten chapters to come forth in the future.
No matter what happens, my memories of Texas Tech will be inseparable from my thoughts of you. There are many things which we have to remember which I will not write here. In short -- we have worked, played, studied, cried and laughed together -- a full life, not as gay or light as it may have been, but it has been more real to me than any other experience.
May you always remember me as long as you live, and I pray and hope those memories of me will be good and fine. I hope I will be able to live up to the qualities which we both appreciate. I can't say anymore, except that I also hope faithfully that 'our friendship may endure forever.' Thanks a million times over for everything. I'll always remember. Love, always, Jim."
Levora to Jim in 1950, "Dearest Jim, This year holds so many wonderful memories my head whirls when I recall them. I shall always owe you thanks for being so very insistent about my going to Mexico, as well as about scores of other things. Without you I shudder to think what life would have been like these past two years and what it would be like in the future.
You have made my happy days happier and the sad ones more bearable. My greatest hope is that I can do the same for you in our years together and make life for you as nearly perfect as possible. Thanks especially for the memories of December 10. Yours Always, LeVora."
Hopes and dreams fulfilled, their example is inspiring, and his memory a blessing.
Jim was predeceased by his parents, Emilio and Hazel Annette (Luit) D'Acosta, and older brother, Emil. He is survived by Levora Nell Manning D'Acosta, his wife of 74 years, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Carl Emil (Cynthia), AliceAnn (Eric) Hodgson and James Wade, teacher, Fairfield Warde High School (Heidi – deceased, former English Dept. Chair and teacher, New Canaan High School), grandchildren; Jenora (Maulik), Carl James (Jen), Alyssa (Kyle), Daniel, Alex (Katie / Emily); great-grandchildren: Isaac, Elias, Levi, Owen, Felicity, Elijah, Madelynn, Logan, and Violet (due any day now).
Funeral: Saturday, June 21, at 10:00am in the sanctuary of The New Canaan Congregational Church, 23 Park Street, reception in the Parlor immediately following the service. Freemasons congregate at 9:30am, under the leadership of Bro. Bob Furce. Livestream link will go live at 10:00am on 6/21: https://vimeo.com/event/1614344 .