NAPLES – Peter C. James of Naples died on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, at the age of 73, with his children and his wife lovingly by his side.
He was born in Lewiston on Sept. 19, 1947, the eldest son of the late Donald and Nedra (Cushman) James of Phillips.
He married Suzanne Lajoie on Sept. 2, 1968. They would share 53 wonderful years, bearing four children; Stephanie (Davis), Scott, Shawn, and Steven James.
Peter graduated from Phillips High School in 1965 and went on to study at the University of Maine in Orono, earning a master’s degree in education. He began his career at Lake Region High School in 1969 as a science teacher and eventually assumed the positions of athletic director, vice principal, and principal. During his 25 years at Lake Region, Peter was generous with his commitments, coaching football and downhill skiing, managing the concert choir, and volunteering as a bus driver for after school activities. Peter taught driver’s education and was a high school basketball referee for many years.
In the mid 1980s, Peter served on the Maine School Principals Association Basketball Tournament Committee in Augusta. In the early 1970s Peter worked for several years as the waterfront director at Camp Agawam in Casco, and was a volunteer and captain of the Naples Rescue Unit for many years.
Upon leaving the Lake Region school district in 1994, Peter changed career paths and served as executive vice president at Rediker Software, a school administrative software company in Hampden, Mass. He would work at Rediker until his retirement in 2013.
Peter enjoyed traveling, boating, watching sporting events and most of all, spending time with his large family, whom he adored beyond measure.
Peter is survived by his wife Suzanne; his four children: Scott and wife Susan of Plymouth, Mass., Stephanie and husband Scott Davis of Naples, Shawn and wife Victoria of East Longmeadow, Mass. and Steven and wife Erin of Somerset, Mass.; his eight grandchildren: Taylor (23), Paige (19), and Logan Davis (18); Gavin (14) and Olivia James (11); Dylan (17), Ava (9), and Hadley James (7); as well as his brother Kevin and wife Dori James of Phillips and several nieces and nephews.
Private family services are in the care of Hall Funeral Home, 165 Quaker Ridge Road in Casco. Graveside services will be held in the spring at the Crooked River Cemetery in Naples.
The family recognizes that athletics served as an integral part of Peter’s life and asks that any donation in his memory be sent to Lake Region Athletic Boosters at 1877 Roosevelt Trail Naples, ME 04055. Please share your kind words on his Tribute Wall at www.hallfuneralhome.net.
RIP my old friend. Thoughts and prayers to the family.
You’re on of the people who always showed up at Class Reunions, and often kept us all in stitches with your commentary.
We’re going to SO miss you. Your laugh was classic.
Mr. James was a very good man. He was Vice Principal at my high school. He was so jovial, offering a smile to passed through the halls of LRHS.