Obituary

James Andrew Spain

Jim Spain was a self-made man.  He grew up in Troy, New York and recognized at an early age the importance of education in providing challenging professional opportunities, financial security, and new life experiences.  He was born on June 15, 1950 and died at age 66 on December 6, 2016 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Jim was an outstanding student in high school who earned a New York State Regents Scholarship and worked to support his education and save for his first car, a navy blue Volkswagen Beetle.  He obtained BA (’72), MA (’73), and MBA (’75) degrees from the University at Albany and while working on his degrees he was concurrently employed at the Grand Union grocery store chain and as a teacher of journalism and other English electives at Catholic Central High School in Troy. He was awarded various graduate assistantships to pursue advanced studies.  Upon completion, he went on to develop financial management information systems for major corporations such as Pfizer Medical Systems, Fairchild Industries, The Rouse Company, and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission in the Baltimore-Washington area.

Jim always felt that one of the best decisions in his life was to move to Columbia, Maryland in 1977 where he would build a life with his wife, Cathy, and sons Mark and Jacob in the new planned community.  In 1995, he made another momentous decision to be a stay-at-home Dad, foregoing corporate life for home life with his beloved sons. He also managed to golf at almost 500 golf courses.  He boasted that he played all the Maryland public courses and was proud of his two holes-in-one.

When Jim retired in his mid-forties, he used his time as he wanted and to the fullest.  He was an avid collector of friends, stories and memorabilia.  The first time he met you, he grilled you with as many questions as possible to learn as much as he could about you.  He loved accompanying Cathy on business trips to meet new people and discover new communities, golf courses, restaurants, universities, and brew pubs.  Over the years, he collected over 150 pint glasses--a collection Cathy saw as a dust collector.

Jim loved to tell stories.  He spent untold hours on genealogy research to unlock the history of his families. He shared this information broadly so that others might benefit from his work and he willingly helped others learn how to do this type of research.  He would tell anyone who would listen about his latest findings—sometimes ad nauseam.  As part of this effort, he amassed a collection of pictures of the City of Troy through the decades.  

Jim’s genealogy work encouraged him to renew relationships with family and friends in Troy and elsewhere.  In retirement, Jim dedicated considerable time to Troy High.  He helped establish and raise funds for two scholarships each year.  He was instrumental in developing the Troy High School Alumni website and he organized several Class of 1968 reunions.

Shortly before his death, Jim brought together family and Troy High and other friends for a wedding vow renewal ceremony and party at the Saratoga National Golf Club in upstate NY.  Surrounded by 120 family and friends from ten states, he spoke eloquently of the importance of family and friendship. His golf buddies were especially important to him, particularly Allan Rosenberg and Thomas Hoffman, who were like brothers to him.

Jim is survived by his wife of 42 years, Catherine L. Spain of Columbia, Maryland; his sons Mark and Jacob of Columbia and Ellicott City, Maryland; his older sister Jacqueline Mitchell (Howard) of Bloomingdale, Illinois; and his twin sister Judith Zimmie (Thomas) of Wynantskill, NY.  His parents were the late C. John Spain and Dorothy Spain (nee Brundige) of Troy, NY.

Other surviving loved ones are his mother-in-law, Dorothy Lavigne of Waterford, NY; his wife’s siblings Thomas Lavigne (Sheryl), Richard Lavigne (Ceil Broady) and Elizabeth McDonald (Lester).  He is also survived by his aunt, Betty McVeigh (nee Spain) and numerous Spain and Brundige cousins.  The late Francis Lavigne was his father-in-law.

Jim was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2013 and bladder cancer in 2015.  He valiantly battled both diseases with his humor intact and without complaint.  He was courageous to the end.

Jim had many gifts, but his greatest gift was his authenticity.  When his niece Megan McDonald was in 6^th grade she wrote a Cinquain poem about Uncle Jim for a school assignment that captured the essence of Jim perfectly:

Humorous, smart

Working, talking, playing

Do your very best,

Golfer