James Rodriguez, long-time former resident of Hampton, passed away on October 23 in the 87th year of his life. Born on January 13, 1935 in New York City, Jim’s family moved here in 1942. Jim and his siblings, Thomas, Joseph and Mary, attended our one-room schoolhouses, and Jim met his future wife, Joyce Pearl, who predeceased him, at her fifth birthday party, after which she announced to her mother, “I’m going to marry Jimmy someday.” Jim and Joyce raised their family here – Juanita, John, Joyclyn, and Ann.
After graduating from high school, Jim joined the U.S. Air Force, serving during the Korean War. Inducted on July 18, 1953, Jim attended engine school, was promoted to corporal, and attained the rank of assistant crew chief with top secret clearance. Stationed in North Africa, Jim was a flight mechanic assigned to re-fueling the B-47s carrying atom bombs manufactured in the States and shipped to the Sahara Desert to be stored in underground bunkers, a furtive and treacherous responsibility.
After leaving the force, he worked at Pratt and Whitney building jet engines, which included involvement in the first Saturn booster rocket engines, and then ran Jim’s Gulf in Storrs before embarking on the business for which we all knew him so well: operating the Hampton Hill Garage from 1969 to 1997. This enterprise would eventually become a fourth-generation business, currently owned by Jim’s son, John. Throughout the 20th century, the Hampton Hill Garage continued as a gathering place, where people could expect friendly service – the gas was actually pumped, the windshield washed, they could depend on skilled diagnosis and repairs to their vehicles, and they could rely on conversation. Jim loved to talk, and he was really good at it. He knew the town, its people, its politics, and was adept at debating the issues of the day. Above all, however, he always listened, earnestly and compassionately.
A skilled orator, Jim was often asked to speak at town celebrations, including Memorial Day when he delivered the Address in 1978. He also served his community on many boards and committees, including the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen, as well as the Boards of the Abington Family Clinic, the Willimantic Savings Institute, and the Willimantic Switchboard Association. He was a longtime member of the Hampton Volunteer Fire Department, served as its Fire Chief, and was one of the first volunteers to receive his EMT certification in 1971.
Our condolences to Jim’s siblings, his children, and their families. Donations may be made in his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.