James C. "Jim" Nally

James "Jim" Nally died August 14, 2022, at Saint Francis Hospital after an accident doing what he loved-cycling. Jim was an avid cyclist who could hardly go a day without hopping on his bike, come rain or freezing temperatures. Jim let his passions lead in life, and he had many. He enjoyed traveling, seeing family members, obsessing about his tomato plants, photographing flowers, and hiking Connecticut trails. Jim was fortunate to have a large community of friends, many of whom he knew through his life partner of 3 decades, Simone Vrabel LeCoutre. He made lasting impressions on those he knew with his humor, perspicacity, and infectious joie de vivre. Jim was quick to share the accomplishments of his two kids, Ryan Nally and Katy Nally. He loved them dearly and took any opportunity to show off his grandkids. He had big plans to teach the four little ones how to ride their bikes. Jim's personality was forged early on in life in a close-knit, Irish Catholic family. His father, George Nally, ran Murphy and Nally's bar, while his mother, Mary Leach Nally, was known for her pot roast, muumuus, and devotion to her kids. Among his siblings, Jim and his younger sister Sheila were the class clowns, who could lovingly push the limits and easily crack jokes. His brother Mike Nally (husband of Mary Beth Nally) helped instill Jim's athleticism and competitive drive, which lasted him until his final day. His oldest sister, Nan Nally-Seif often helped herd the younger siblings and keep Jim intact. Jim grew up riding his bike around Rochester, NY with his best friend Jack Farnan. He was a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School, class of 1966. He completed his bachelor's degree in economics from SUNY Geneseo, spent one year and nine months in the U.S. Marine Corps, and earned his master's degree in statistics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. At Pratt & Whitney he worked as a cost engineer, which combined his background in statistics and encyclopedic knowledge of planes. In Connecticut, Jim carved out a life for himself and two kids, spending his time after work coaching soccer games, cooking ramen noodles, and landscaping his backyard. In 2005, Jim, Katy, and Ryan hosted the first Tomato Fest, which will live on in his memory every summer. Jim retired early from Pratt and spent his newfound time getting serious about biking. Every year he achieved a different athletic feat-the Death Ride, Escape from Alcatraz, Maui Channel Relay Swim, Mount Evans Hill Climb, and the Mount Washington Bicycle Hill Climb. At age 68 he completed the Lake Placid Ironman. In 2019, Jim and Simone bought their Shangri-La, retirement estate in Bloomfield. Every day they would remark how lucky they were to have found such a gorgeous home-the backyard bears may have felt otherwise. To say Jim will be missed is a gross understatement. He was a bike hero to many, a grandfather to four, a father to two, a life partner to one, and an inspiration to dozens of friends. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to Bike Walk Connecticut or to Ability Beyond.