James A. Boccarossa

In Loving Memory of James A. "Jim" Boccarossa
Age 51 | September 2025 | Glacier National Park, Montana
James A. Boccarossa-known lovingly as "Daddy", "Jim" and "Boc"-passed away unexpectedly while hiking in beautiful Glacier National Park. Jim was an exceptionally dedicated, loving, and proud father of three boys, a devoted husband, a proud uncle to ten nephews, a wonderful brother, a caring son, and a generous friend to all who knew him.
Survived By
Wife: Stephanie Boccarossa
Children: James, Jack, and Joseph
Mother: Noreen Boccarossa
Sister: Carrie Pillay & husband Greg, and their children Alex and Anthony
Mother & Father in Love: George and Debra Murphy
Sisters & Brothers in Love:
• Tom & Joene Murphy – Children: George, Joseph, Timothy, Thomas & Jonathan
• Patricia & Michael Lacewell – Children: Michael, Patrick & Daniel
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Jack Boccarossa.
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In Honor of Jim and his mission to take care of his family
St. Josaphat Parish, School, and friends have established a scholarship fund for the boys.
https://www.givecentral.org/customizable-online-giving/80/event/44415
In Honor of Jim, to make sure his kiddos know his stories, please add as many stories and photos of Jim to the Rememberance Book
https://yourkithandkin.com/project/remembrance-book-for-jim-boccarossa-4c8b653028e3c3c487973c010e77e15b/contributor
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Jim was born in 1974 in Moline, Illinois, to Noreen and Jack Boccarossa. Jim spent his childhood on the family's Christmas tree farm in Milan, IL, where he helped nurture the land, care for his parents, and build a legacy rooted in tradition and purpose.
Younger Jim
In high school, Jim truly did it all-
• Varsity athlete in multiple sports
• Valedictorian
• Homecoming court
• Scholastic Bowl
• Involved in countless other activities
He earned his bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Illinois and later his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. During that time, he somehow managed to be:
• A DJ
• A "Rent-A-Nerd"
• A full-time employee at Ernst & Young
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Life, Joy, and the Things He Loved
Jim lived fully, loudly, and with heart. His favorite pastimes included:
• Tailgating and Bears games
• Volunteering for the Special Olympics opening ceremonies
• Delivering Christmas trees to friends welcoming their first children
• Storytelling-he could talk to anyone, anywhere, about anything
• Traveling with his wife
• RV adventures with his boys
• Morning snuggles with his family over coffee and chocolate milk
Jim was loved by everyone he encountered. He gave without hesitation and cared deeply for the needs of others. His life mission was to build a family, take care of them, and create a life rich with experiences, happiness, tradition, and legacy. He loved God and found strength and comfort in going to church.
Jim met Stephanie in 2013 at a street festival. They quickly became an inseparable pair and fell in love. They married in 2016-loved it so much they did it twice. Next January would have marked ten years of marriage, but since they did everything together, it truly felt like a lifetime. Jim adored Stephanie, and Stephanie would do anything for his happiness. They were best friends and a match made in heaven. They loved each other endlessly.
Jim's boys revered their dad for his strength, playfulness, singing, storytelling, and legendary dance moves. They played endlessly with him-one of their favorite games was called "The Mountain," where Jim would stand strong and still like a mountain while the kids climbed and scrambled their way up to his shoulders. He was their hero, jungle gym, comedian, and safe place, all in one.
Jim surrounded himself with good people and made them even better. He often joked about starting his own town called "New Sherard" and even went so far as to look at land in Nevada. The truth is, he didn't need a map or a zip code-he built that town in real life. It lives in the family he was born into, the family he created with Stephanie, James, Jack, and Joe, the friends he collected over decades, the communities he joined, and the people who loved him and his family. Jim kept people close-he called, texted, visited, and showed up. He celebrated with you and he grieved with you. He was there for the best, the worst, and all the in-between. He is, in every sense, the definition of the word friend.
Jim loved God, accepted Jesus into his heart, and was moved and comforted by the Holy Spirit. He enjoyed going to church on Sundays, where he would sit with his family-boys wiggling around in the pew-and pray for all of us. Jim prayed for peace, for the people he loved, for patience, and for God's grace. He always found it both amusing and endearing that everyone claps after Mass. Without fail, at the end of every service he'd lean over to Steph and whisper, "Here comes the clapping," all while smiling and clapping along himself. After Mass, you could always find him tracking down our priests and deacons-hugging them, catching up, and talking about the homily or whatever was happening in the world that week. He chatted with parishioners young and old, never in a rush and enjoying every minute. Our children would run amok and fill the church with laughter and giggles; Jim filled it with his smile and magnetic personality. St. Josaphat is truly a place to come home to for our family.
God bless Jim Boccarossa - forever in our hearts.