James Andrew "Jim" Lochrie

1935 - 2023

Lake City, Fla. - James Andrew "Jim" Lochrie passed away Feb. 27, 2023, at Haven-Suwannee Valley Hospice in Lake City, Fla. He was born March 17, 1935, in Waterford, the son of Joseph John Lochrie and Christine Woodley Greig.

He graduated from Jordan Elementary School in Waterford, in 1949, and New London High School in 1953. On May 18, 1955, he graduated from the RCA Institute in New York, where he studied television repair.

His best friend as a child was a neighbor boy named Matt Tirrell. They were both very active and loved to invent things. Once, they built something they called a "carnival." They built rides like a tilt-a-whirl, swings, and so forth, and charged the neighbor kids a nickel to ride on them. They built tree forts in the woods and cleaned out Jordan Brook so they could ride a raft down the brook. As a teenager, his best friend was Billy Rose. They enjoyed Jim's beautiful blue Old Town canoe and his Sunfish sailing the local waters. One time, using a larger sailboat, they sailed from Waterford to New York, slept at a Youth Hostel, explored the city and then sailed home!

He had just gotten a job at E.B. when the draft called. He was inducted into the U.S. Army at Fort Dix, N.J., June 24, 1957. After serving for two years, he was honorably discharged June 15, 1959, and returned to Electric Boat Company as a tech aide learer.

He volunteered for the American Cancer Society for several years, leading the bike-a-thons to raise money for research. He also volunteered with the New London branch of "Barbershoppers." One year he was in charge of making travel arrangements, so the group could go to Canada for a competition. Jim was highly detailed in preparing for anything, so these volunteer jobs suited him to a T.

He loved the water and spent many happy hours bodysurfing at Misquamicut Beach in Rhode Island. He loved music and nature, which led him to a part-time job in landscaping. He called his business "JALCO." He also repaired televisions.

In 1995, he met a widow named Marjorie Stansell Johnston. They got along extremely well as they had much in common. They married in Bermuda, Sept. 14, 1995, and eventually lived in New Hampshire.

On Nov. 28, 1995, Jim had a retirement party from Electric Boat Company. He was a senior engineering assistant, and the engineers frequently consulted him for advice. He was given a beautiful bronze plaque for 40 years of service. The Electric Boat plaque was complete with several buildings, submarines and even a crane etched into the bronze. It indeed was a work of art.

Jim and Marge eventually moved to Florida, and were so happy. They repeated their marriage vows in Estero, Fla., Feb, 27, 2004. Marge later developed lung and skin cancer, for which she had surgery, chemo and radiation, suffering for five years before dying May 7, 2010. Jim tenderly took care of her the whole time.

Jim remained in their Dowling Park home. Eventually, he became less mobile due to battling Parkinson's for many years. A friend, Angie Wilson, moved in with him and became his caretaker. Angie's daughter and husband, Lucie and Mike Gresham, also helped with his care. He began having home hospice and then was transferred to Haven- Suwannee Valley Hospice, where he died four days later Feb. 27, 2023.

He is survived by his sister Gloria Pontious of Waterford; a nephew Donald Pontious of Antioch, Calif.; niece Deborah Kotecki of New London; and niece Diane Pontious of Colchester.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the First Baptist Church of Waterford, where he grew up. Burial will be private at Jordan Cemetery in Waterford, near his parents' graves.