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BORN
1958
DIED
2023
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James Gagner Obituary
Newport, NH -
James S. Gagner, 65, of South Main Street, died Thursday, September 28, 2023 at his home.
He was born in New London, NH on September 26, 1958 the son of the late Paul and Ruth E. (Barrett) Gagner.
Jim graduated from Newport High School in 1977 and was a lifelong resident of Newport. He had been employed by Sturm Ruger and then as a mechanic for the Town of Newport for 20 years.
He just loved music and going to concerts. He enjoyed golfing and would look forward to the Barrett Family Reunion Golf Tournament every year on the first weekend in August. So handy with anything mechanical, Jim liked his Harley Davidson motorcycle, hot rods and antique cars. He would tinker with any car and bought and sold them as a hobby.
He is survived by his longtime friend, Pamala Watson of Lempster, NH; his brother and wife, Brian and Donna Gagner of Newport, NH; aunts, uncles and cousins.
A graveside service will be held on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. in Old Main Street Cemetery, New London, NH.
To sign an online guestbook please visit www.chadwickfuneralservice.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for James Gagner
Sponsored by Chadwick Funeral and Cremation Service, LLC - New London.
4 Entries
Bob Cothran
October 11, 2023
The entire family is in my thoughts, so sorry for your loss.
Norma Menard
October 10, 2023
Knew him forever. My condolences to the family. Rest in peace Gumby
Tammy Peterson
October 6, 2023
RIP Jimmy.
Ed aka "Buster" Radford
October 5, 2023
I have known Jim since we were in single digits (in age) and it is very sad to see him go. We had a lot of great times during our adolescence!
I learned a lot from Jimmy over the years, we started with bicycles and moved on to motorcycles and then automobiles as he was so mechanically inclined. I remember as if it was yesterday, working on his ’57 Chevy (in the mid ‘70’s) next to the lower garage at his house on Summer Street. We were getting ready to yank the engine and transmission for some upgrades and we could not get the crossmember for the transmission to free up. We both had crowbars pulling as hard as we could when mine let loose and hit me in the upper cheek bone just below my right eye. That hurt like the dickens and left a small scar for many years. But I remember us laughing so hard after the initial shock of the blow was over! We did get the engine and trans out of that car the same day.
We had a lot of good times growing up in our neighborhood making cabins, working on everything mechanical and just living life. We both had paper routes and I remember we collected baseball and football cards and Jimmy would always throw the duplicates over his shoulder for others to pick up for their collections.
Jimmy once chased my mother with the snake? She will never forget that time and always teased him when she saw him!
I also remember after joining the Navy and moving to California. My wife, kids and I moved to Ridgecrest, CA in the mid 80’s and one day out of the blue Jim called. He and (I believe) Mike Annis were in Los Angeles looking for vehicles to buy and flip back in NH. They ended up stopping by my house to say hello in an older truck that Jim bought from someone around the LA area. I remember he said it had been sitting for several years so he bought a new battery and got it running and drove it all the way to NH without an issue!!
Jim was always good about calling me around the Christmas holidays every year to touch base. We had not seen much of each other since that time in Ridgecrest (except at my Dad's funeral in 2016) but we kept up over the phone.
Jim was one of my life-long friends and he will be missed but never be forgotten!
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Chadwick Funeral and Cremation Service, LLC - New London235 Main Street P.O. Box 68, New London, NH 03257
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