1944 - 2019
Visitation
March 8, 20194:00 - 8:00pm
Dolan Funeral Home
Funeral
March 9, 201910:00am
St. Margaret Church, 384 Stevens St., Lowell, MA
James D. Scanlon, 74, of Lowell died on Monday, March 4, 2019 at the Blaire House in Tewksbury. He was the husband and best friend for 49 years of Mary F. (Speiran) Scanlon.
Jim was born in Lowell on July 26, 1944, the son of the late James E. and Helen A. (Myron) Scanlon. He was educated in the Lowell Public School System, and graduated in 1962 from Lowell High School.
James received his B.S. in Accounting from Bentley College in 1966, after which he served in the U.S. Army as a SPEC.5 until 1969. He was a Vietnam veteran, and was stationed in Pleiku from 1967-1968. During that time, he was chosen as Soldier of The Month. He received the National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. He graduated from Bentley with a Masters in Taxation in 1980.
Jim worked for Pannell Kerr Forster, Boston for 28 years. He continued his career at Price Waterhouse Coopers, Boston. Later, he was the Controller at Brockway Smith, Andover before his retirement in 2013. He was a member of the MA Society of CPAs, as well as of the AICPA.
James loved his Catholic faith. He was a member of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Lowell. He was the former Chairman of its Finance Council and the past Head of its Counters. One of Jim’s fondest memories was of his visit to Our Lady of Knock Shrine in Mayo, Ireland on August 15, 2014. James was an avid sports fan and loved all the Boston teams. He also considered himself the biggest fan of Notre Dame Football.
Jim was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. He was a quiet, kind, and generous man.
Besides his wife, Mary, he is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and John Dunn of Dracut, Laura and Stephen Christianson of Groton, Susan and Craig Mankiewicz of Lowell, his sisters and brother-in-law, Carol Moynihan of Methuen, Maureen Scanlon of Lowell, and Linda and William Lacey of Stoneham. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, James and Christina Dunn of Dracut, as well as Matthew and Ashley Christianson of Groton, and his nieces, nephews, and cousins.
James was the loving brother of the late Nancy E. Begley and the brother-in-law of the late Andrew Moynihan and John Begley. He was the beloved son-in-law of the late James and Margaret (Carolan)Speiran.
The family thanks Don O’Hagan, Steve Meltzer, Eddie Jaracz, Mike Garrihy, Paul Zocco, and Jack Connors for their many kindnesses. We would also like to thank the staff of the Blaire House, as well as Beacon Hospice
Visiting hours Friday. 4 to 8 P.M. Funeral Saturday at 9:00 A. M. from the DOLAN FUNERAL HOME 106 MIDDLESEX ST. CHELMSFORD, with a funeral Mass at 10:00 A.M. at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Lowell. Burial in St. Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford. Contributions in his memory may be made to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish Renovation and Renewal Fund, 374 Stevens St. Lowell, MA 01851 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Rd. Waltham, MA 02452 ARRANGEMENTS BY DOLAN FUNERAL HOME 978-251-4041. Guestbook at www.dolanfuneralhome.com
Katalin Brown
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I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr Scanlon but know what a wonderful man he was through the loving memories of his daughter Laura. We never lose those we love. I wish you Peace.
Elaine & Sherman
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Our deepest thoughts & prayers go out to the family. Jim was a great husband & dad. May he RIP.
Jim and Maureen Speiran
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Frances and Family ,
We send our deepest sympathy to all .
Beautiful obituary and a fine looking photograph in 1966
May God bless and console you at this very sad time .
Jim , Maureen and family .
Faith J Landry
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Laura and family,
With sincere sympathy on the loss of your Dad.
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Ernie & Faith Landry
Timothy Lacey
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My prayers go out to Jimmy and to his family. And to the rest of the Scanlon family. As Christians we have the great hope of the Resurrection. From Psalm 122: “I rejoiced when they told me, lets us go to the House of the Lord.” Well, Jimmy has gone to the House of the Lord.
Lesley Leonard
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I loved talking baseball with Mr. Scanlon. I will miss those talks. Thinking of you all and sending my love.
Emmy Patronick
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Karen and family,
Thinking of you all during this difficult time! <3 <3
Jimmy Kamada
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Jim Scanlon and I became friends as servicemen at the 52nd Artillery Brigade Headquarters of the Army Air Defense Command at Fort Hancock, New Jersey. It was a great assignment on beautiful Sandy Hook, a short bus ride to New York City, where Jim visited every weekend. Jim was a humorous guy with a “Hahvud” accent and we had many laughs about military life.
Out of the clear blue in late 2013 or early 2014, I got a telephone call from Jim from whom I had not heard since 1967. I thought it was a guy looking for a kidney. My wife, Shirley and I drove across the country and stopped in Lowell, Mass., in May 2014, and had lunch with Jim and Mary. We have stayed in contact ever since. We will miss a true friend.
Renee Steel
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Karen, my deepest sympathy to you and your family. I feel as if I knew your dad because of the memories you’ve shared with me. A kind man loved so very much. I am so sorry for your loss.
Renee
The Mankiewicz Family
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Mary, Karen, Laura, Susie, and family please accept our heartfelt sympathies at this time of sorrow. Jim was a quite family man and he will be missed by all that knew him.
Carla Johnson
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Karen my deepest condolences to you and the family!!
Thinking of you all and sending prayers.??
Karen Dunn
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Thank you everyone for the kind sentiments about my dad. My father was a wonderful person and a great role model to my sisters and myself. He taught me that respecting others is very important and that people should be treated with dignity. The day that he entered hospice care 2 and a half weeks ago was a very difficult one. He had a lot of discomfort and was anxious. He was lucid and was expressing how he was feeling. I asked him if he wanted to pray. He said yes and grabbed my hand and made his best attempt to say the Our Father and Hail Mary with me. Even though he was suffering in many ways he still had his strong faith in God. That experience of witnessing his love of God will forever be with me. I am very fortunate to have had him as my father. He was a wonderful person. I will miss him every day the rest of my life.
William A. Lacey
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Jim was a wonderful brother in-law who always made me feel welcome to the family from the very start. Jim possessed a keen sense of humor, which led to our sharing many laughs at family gatherings over the years. I always looked forward to seeing him. More importantly, Jim was a highly dedicated, moral, caring, ethical gentleman with a strong faith in God and love for family. I greatly admired Jim and will equally miss him. He raised a remarkable family with Mary. My love, prayers and condolences are with Mary, Karen, Laura, Suzie, my sister in-laws, my wife, Linda, and the entire family. The legacy and influence of Jim’s love, faith and strength of character lives on in the family. May Jim rest in eternal peace and may God bless you all. -Bill Lacey
Louise Podanoffsky
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Karen,
I was so sorry to hear that you lost your dad…I want to express my deepest sympathy to you and your mom and the rest of your family. My heart is with all of you at this very sad time in your lives.
Love,
Louise Podanoffsky
Midge and Roger Landry
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Mary…we are so sorry for the loss of Jim…I sang to Jim at the community family. I sang lots of songs to him. I think he liked ’em all. So sad for his loss. We are friends of Kevilles. We met you at their home. Sadly miss Jim…Midge and Roger. Be assured of our daily prayers.
Maureen Saboda
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My first cousin Mary Frances has always been very special to me and I am forever grateful that she chose James Scanlon to be her husband. His love for her and his lovely daughters was a delight to behold. His love extended to his sons-in-law and his precious grandchildren and I must include his granddogies. In everything he did, he demonstrated his Christian values. When we moved to Florida, Jim had retired was able to travel and we had the joy of spending time under the same roof.
My favorite memory of this time was the local priest requested that those coming to the Palm Sunday Mass bring palm branches from their home trees. Jim organized us, my husband Gene drove the four of us around the property in the golf cart and we gathered a very respectable harvest to add to the service. The palm branches were so fresh and festive and we took such delight in this and just being together.
You have known love and joy here on earth but now you are experiencing the peace that is beyond understanding and we are happy for you but sad for ourselves.
Until we meet again, our love is with you.
Maureen and Gene
Jack Carolan
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Dear Frances and Family,
Your London cousins are very much with you at this time.
We feel blessed to have met Jim, when you were in Europe.
He was a smashing fella, a true gent and we will always remember him.
May he rest in peace.