Roger St. James

Roger St. James passed away peacefully in his sleep January 29th with his wife Lynn (Caccio-Strong) at his side.  Roger was the son of Theresa Ouellette & Gerard St. James and was known for his gregarious and bold personality. He is survived by his daughter Joy St James of Raleigh, NC, his son Jay St James of Bristol, CT, his stepson Christopher (Sharon) Strong and stepson Matthew Strong.  Roger had 5 wonderful grandchildren, Sidney & Sophie Barber, Tyler, Alexis and Aiden Strong. He had 7 siblings, Louis (Joanne), Phillip, Jeanne (Martin) Rousch, Mark (Eileen), Anne (Burton) Despard and Jimmy (Debra Dahms) He was predeceased by Dennis (Kathy) St James. His family included Lisa (Randy) Russell & Nancy Burke. Roger was the proud uncle of 16

nieces & nephews and 26 grandnieces & nephews.  He was happiest when surrounded by his enormous family of aunts, uncles & cousins.

Roger graduated from A.I. Prince Tech in Hartford, CT. He took immense pride in his work as a carpenter/project manager in Local Union 43, dedicating twenty years to his craft. After an accident, he embraced a new passion graduating Connecticut Culinary Institute, where he nurtured his lifelong love of food. This led to a fulfilling, though brief, career as a chef with Marriott.

Above all else, Roger’s greatest joy in life was spending time with all his family. Growing up on Ashley Street in Hartford, he treasured his childhood memories surrounded by his many siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Later in life, his favorite pastime was camping with his family. He built a compound at Laurel Lock Campground, where many summers were filled with laughter, friendship, and love.

In retirement, Roger found happiness in Bluffton, SC, where he welcomed visiting family with open arms, enjoyed countless games of dominos, and eagerly tended to his garden. His warmth, love for those around him and unwavering determination to live life to the fullest left a lasting imprint on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Donations in Roger’s name may be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research.

Michael J. Fox Foundation (Parkinson's Disease)
P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown MD 21741-5014