James Patrick CONNELLY

1928 - 2017

CONNELLY,
James
Patrick

James P. Connelly passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on February 14, 2017. He was born in Spokane, Washing-ton on January 16, 1928 to Grace and Edward Connelly. Jim's family emigrated from Tuam, Ireland in 1860 and initially settled in Happy Valley, now a part of Bellingham, Washington. His father became both a US Attorney and State Supreme Court Judge. Jim attended St. Augustine Grade School and then Gonzaga Preparatory High School, graduating at 17. He attended college at Notre Dame, and Gonzaga University. The law was in his blood, so from there he went on to graduate from Gonzaga Law School. After working as a prosecutor for Spokane County he joined the firm of Cashatt, Williams, Connelly and Rekofke. He later joined his lifelong friends Robert McNicols, Leo Driscoll and Mike Cronin to form the law firm of Winston Cashatt. Throughout his career he was known as a fierce and brilliant trial lawyer, a passion he shared with many attorneys throughout his career. Attorneys throughout the Spokane Bar Association have benefited from his guidance and direction. He retired from private practice and taught for a short time at Gonzaga Law School before following in his father's footsteps and was appointed US Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. He was known for his colorful language, his love of books, his enjoyment of a good gathering with friends and a stiff glass of good scotch. Most important to Jim were his eight children, inspiring all of them to be good democrats, be involved in their communities and pursue excellence. He always told his kids that his purpose in life was to emancipate them, to teach them to be independent and capable of standing on their own. Jim and his wife Marianne, enjoyed many wonderful years with his large family, taking trips to the Oregon coast, skiing at Schweitzer, sailing on Lake Pend Orielle, and spending winters at the beach in Coronado, California. He was preceded in death by his parents, Grace and Edward Michael Connelly, his brother Ellsworth Connelly, and his first wife Carol Duell Connelly. Jim is survived by his wife Marianne; his eight children and their spouses, Patrick (Laurie), Michael (Sue), Anne (Gordon Connelly-Chew), Lisa (Kubi Ibrahim), Mary (Jim Doherty), Matt (Kristi), Cara (Ahmad Mohammadian) and Kathleen (Tom Arnold); 21 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and his cousin Kathy Connelly. His dreams, hopes and passion will live on through all of them. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 18 at St. Aloysius Church at 10:00am, followed immediately by a reception at Cataldo Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim's name can be made to Volunteers of America, Crosswalk Shelter.