Obituary of James S Macgregor

James S. Macgregor, Jr., 98, beloved husband of Emilie (Waker) Macgregor, died suddenly Friday June 3, 2011 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. He was born in Mesilla Park, New Mexico on September 3, 1912; the son of the late Isabelle Ripley Stoughton and James Stanley Macgregor. He was predeceased by his four siblings: Isabel, Helen, Rob Roy and Franklin. A Connecticut resident for over 80 years, Jim attended Choate and Wesleyan University of which he was a devoted alumni. He was employed for many years by the Raybestos Manhattan Company and later founded his own company, Mar-Mac Tools, in Essex. In his retirement, he worked at Doane’s Pharmacy in Essex and later at the Old Lyme Pharmacy. A proud Scotsman, he was an avid sailor and lover of the outdoors. He was active in the Deep River Congregational Church for almost 60 years,during which the church established the Jim Macgregor Outdoor Ministries Fund in his honor. He was a member and former Treasurer of the Essex Boat Club and a longtime member of the Ancient Order of Weeders. Jim will be remembered for his excellent sense of humor, and his commitment to his church and community. He will be deeply missed and is survived by his wife Emilie of 72 years, his children: James III (Scott) of Westbrook, Alan and wife Barbara of Essex, Dorothy Spurlock of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Rob Roy and partner Joan Ambusk of Londonderry, Vermont, granddaughters Nancy and her husband Dennis Lange and Lyn and her husband Ted Halsted and great granddaughters Caroline James Halsted and Jillian Crane Halsted. Services will be held Thursday, June 9 at 11:00 at the Deep River Congregational Church on Church ST in Deep River. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jim’s memory to the Outdoor Ministries Fund at the church.