James Vanites

James Vanites was born on December 24, 1926 to parents Dennis and Georgia Vranitis, Greek immigrants who settled in Biddeford Maine. Jim's father ran a bottling business called Crystal Bottling Company on Alfred St. and Jim worked for his dad growing up. Jim earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Maine. He was also a Sergeant in the U.S. Army 1946-1948 where he worked for a medical detachment in Augusta, Georgia. Jim became a Social Studies teacher and worked all of his career in the Saco Public Schools, both at Burns School and Saco Middle School.
Jim was predeceased by his first wife, Patricia Antonacos, with whom he was married for almost 39 years, a brother Theodore, who died in childhood, and his sister Mary Katsaros, of Haverhill MA, who also passed away this year. Jim leaves behind his current wife, Nancy Packard Vanites, his sister Theodora Lebares of Ocean Ridge Fl, his three daughters, Georgia Ingram, Anastasia Danton and Maria Piepergerdes and their families which include 8 grandchildren and one great-grandson and his stepchildren Holly Skillin Dearborn, Kim Traina, and Mark Skillin and their families which include 3 granddaughters.
Jim loved gardening and nurtured a large vegetable garden on his property on South St. in Biddeford. Jim was also an avid baseball and basketball fan. As a young man, he had managed his own amateur basketball team, driving his players around New England to play ball. Jim took great joy attending his grandchildren's sporting events, even setting up a baseball diamond in his backyard. Jim also had a love of music and began playing the clarinet as young boy. He enjoyed music and singing even as he aged, and met his wife, Nancy, at the TriCity Chorus.
Jim was also an avid swimmer and enjoyed swimming at the YMCA, and in lakes, ponds and the ocean. His family attributes his long life to his continued active lifestyle as he swam regularly until about 96 years of age.
Services for Jim will be held at Hope Memorial Chapel in Biddeford on Sunday 11/23 from 4:00-6:00 and a funeral will be held on Monday 11/24 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Saco, where he was a lifelong member, at 10:30 am.
In lieu of flowers, please send any donation in his memory to the YMCA of Southern Maine - Northern York County Branch in Biddeford.