James Joseph Burleigh

James J. Burleigh, 80, of Duxbury MA, died peacefully on May 6, 2025 surrounded by his family. He will be deeply missed.
James was born in 1944 in The Bronx, NY, the son of Theofila & Winfield Burleigh. He was a graduate of Cardinal Hayes High School (NYC) and he earned a Bachelor's degree from St. John's University. In the same year of 1966, he married the love of his life, Mary. James & Mary started dating in 1962 when James took Mary to the Junior Prom, they were together for 64 years, married for 59 years and went on to have 3 children and 9 grandchildren.
He was a teacher in the NYC school system before joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation in January of 1970. After assignments in New York & Cleveland, J. Edgar Hoover advised Jim that he was needed in the Boston field office, where he then spent the next 30 years. He worked bank robberies, kidnappings & the terrorism squad - but mainly his focus was on white collar crime & investment fraud cases.
James had an adventurer's spirit in his approach to life and he lived life to the fullest – particularly when it came to travel, following his children & grandchildren's sporting events, fishing, clamming in Duxbury bay, investing and most importantly, traveling the world with his wife, Mary.
He is survived by his wife, Mary, their children Sheilah Burleigh-Segatore, Sarah Burleigh-Cochran and her husband, Edward, Tom Burleigh and his wife, Krista. He was an adoring Grandpa to Sophia, Maia, Max, Hannah, Nate, Padraig, Nolan, Brendan and Nola.
A funeral service will be held Friday May 16 at Holy Family Church, 601 Tremont St. Duxbury, MA 02332 @11:00 am. Burial immediately following at Mayflower Cemetery. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations to one of Jim's favorite charities, The Wounded Warriors Project would be appreciated.
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/