James R Duryea Sr. died peacefully at 61 years old on September 3, 2023 at Fairview Commons, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Jim is survived by his children, James Duryea Jr. and Leticia Smachetti and husband T.J. Smachetti; his grandsons, Cayden Smachetti and James Duryea III; his siblings, Nancy Duryea, Roger Duryea and wife Wendy Duryea; his nieces and nephews, Timothy, Sarah, Jaime, Jason, Raymond, and Penny; and several cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, Frederick Duryea Sr. and Laura Duryea, as well as his brothers, Dale Duryea and Frederick Duryea Jr.
Jim was born on February 21, 1962 in Great Barrington to Frederick and Laura Duryea. He graduated from Mount Everett in 1980. He enjoyed the days of the bowling league at the Cove, where he spent nights out with his friends and family. Jim made his career as a Machine Operator at CueSport Int, Capfilm Inc, and finally Sheffield Plastics (Covestro), until his retirement in 2017. Along the way, he gained a large group of coworkers that became lifelong friends.
Jim was an avid hunter and fisherman. He and his children had a yearly competition to see who could catch the most fish during the season—a tradition he continued with his grandson. He spent most of his time at home outdoors tending to his multiple large garden beds and lawn. He was a diehard New England/Boston sports fan. Jim was a dedicated grandfather who spent his weekends either watching his grandson’s sporting events, fishing, being outdoors, or watching the Pats/Sox game.
A special thanks to Jim’s oncologist, Dr. Trevor Bayliss, and the wonderful and compassionate staffs at the Philips Cancer Center, Berkshire Medical Center, and the BVNA. Without the great care he received from you all, he would not have been able to fight this terrible disease as long as he did. Thank you to HospiceCare in the Berkshires and the staff at Fairview Commons for their compassion, patience, and caring nature during these last few weeks. Our family is forever grateful for the tremendous care he received.
In lieu of donations, Jim’s children ask that anyone willing and able donate blood in Jim’s honor within Berkshire County. Throughout Jim’s battle, he received hundreds of units of blood, which were critical to his treatment plan and would not have been possible without donations.
To honor Jim’s memory, the family is holding a celebration of life on Sunday, September 24, 2023, from 12 to 4 p.m. at French Park in Egremont. The family invites anyone who knew Jim to attend and remember his wonderful life. Condolences may be made through the website of Birches-Roy Funeral Services.
