James McAvoy

KINGFIELD – James G. McAvoy passed away on March 15, 2024, at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Maine, following a loving day spent with his wife Erica, son Tim, and close friend Anna Clapham.

Jim grew up in Dedham and then Wellesley, MA, attending public schools until tenth grade when he transferred to Tilton Academy to complete his high school education. After a year at Boston University, Jim joined the Vista program serving in Sasakwa, Oklahoma helping to alleviate poverty in native communities. Upon return, Jim apprenticed at Childs, Bertman, Tseckares, an architectural firm in Boston, before earning his degree in architecture from the Boston Architectural Center and The Architectural Association in London, England, in 1975. He co-founded Buck, Smith, McAvoy with his beloved partners Janet and Julia in 1984, where he worked until his retirement in 2015. He remained a consultant to Elements Management, where good friend and founder Rich Fraiser valued his extensive experience and expertise.

Jim and Erica began their journey together in 1976 when they settled down in Dover, MA. Their shared aspirations led them to Sherborn in 1981, where they purchased their first home, married in 1984 and welcomed their son Tim in 1987. Over the next three decades, Jim, Erica, along with many neighbors and friends, dedicated countless nights and weekends to transforming a modest prefabricated structure into their dream home, all while juggling full-time jobs and raising Tim, a testament to Jim’s creativity, skill and perseverance. Their adventurous spirit led them to undertake another unique project on Vinalhaven, an island off the coast of Maine in 1989. There they transformed a trailer attached to a windowless structure into a comfortable, albeit eccentric, dwelling cherished by family and friends for years. In 2009, Jim embarked on another project in Kingfield, Maine, which his son, Tim, continues to work on today. Jim’s ingenuity in building and construction ignited a spark in Tim and garnered admiration from all who knew him.

Settling permanently in Kingfield, Maine, in 2016, Jim quickly befriended neighbors and tradesmen alike. He served on the Town Water Commission and was affectionately known as the sheriff of Maple Street, where he spent much of his time on the front porch, greeting passersby and thoughtfully watching over the neighborhood. When he wasn’t in Kingfield, he spent much of his time in Vinalhaven, Maine where he was known as a courteous host who welcomed family and friends on any adventure whether by land or by sea. Despite facing several health challenges, Jim handled his illness with unwavering grace and unfailing humor. He was a remarkable man, admired for his intellect, wit, and ability to make others feel at ease.

He will be missed by his wife Erica, son; Tim brother Peter and his wife Beth; McAvoy cousins, sisters’ in-law and their spouses, Anne Reitmayer and Richard Eells, Joan and Willie Laws; nieces and nephews: Jennifer, Jessie, Katie, Porter, Annie, Summer, Carrie and Heather. Grand nieces and nephews: Tyler, Josiah, Miles, Alyssa, Lily, Isaiah, and Julian.