James (Jim) Paul Avaras of New City NY, affectionately known to many as “Greek,” passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 2, 2024 surrounded by his family, following a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 68, and left a grateful and loving family that included his wife, Constance Katavolos Avaras; their three sons, Austin, Aristotle, and Nicholas; his mother, Dolores; his brother, Garret; and a large and devoted extended family and circle of friends. Jim was predeceased by his father, Peter Avaras, and his brother, Paul Avaras. Born in the Bronx on November 11, 1955 to Dolores Reischick Avaras and Peter (Panagioti) Avaras, Jim moved with his family to New City in Rockland County when he was two years old, and resided there his entire life.
Very early on, as a 16-year-old, Jim realized his boyhood dream of becoming a firefighter, joining the New City Volunteer Fire Department as the youngest recruit in its history and serving for 52 years before retiring as Chief. During that long career he fought thousands of fires, also serving with FDNY’s Special Operations; Rescue 3, which was heavily involved in recovery operations in lower Manhattan on and after September 11, 2001. In 2013, while serving as First Assistant Chief, Jim was cited as New City FD's top responder for the year, having answered 530 alarms — an astounding average of 1.4 emergency calls a day.
Throughout his life, Jim was a man of great vision. Whether it was purchasing the property that he knew would years later house his dream home and family at only 23 years of age, documenting the life of a firefighter at the age of 18, or creating (or recreating) beautiful homes for decades of his adult life, Jim had a unique and innovative approach to life and the creative process.
During the entire time he was pursuing his volunteer vocation, Jim supported himself and his family with his exemplary skills as a master builder of the finest homes in a three-state region, founding Executive Homes in 1979 when he was just 24. A pillar of the New City community, Jim was known to be an honest, rough around the edges but soft-hearted man who threw himself whole-heartedly into sacrificing for those around him.
That rough-edged soft-heartedness was on full display in the year 2000 when, as Jim was on his property sitting astride an excavator, finally building the beautiful home he had planned so many years earlier, a young woman approached, thinking he was a laborer and inquiring about the cedar siding he was using. Realizing instantly that he was meeting the love of his life, Jim engaged Connie Katavolos in a long, heartfelt conversation, during which he announced to her that he was going to marry her someday.
Through the years Jim farmed, beautified and altered the landscape of his home and properties skillfully with heavy equipment, built lakes and harbored horses at his farm property (including two named Houdini and Tommy, whom he rescued from the truck that was transporting them to the meat factory), and engaged in a lifelong passion for model railroading. Complementing the vast, complex O-gauge train layout he magnificently designed, built, maintained and improved over many years, an entire town and regional landscape came alive in the basement of the family’s New City home thanks to Jim’s creative eye and dedication to his craft.
Jim also loved to have large family gatherings a few times a year. Christmases were his favorite to host, and the large New City home would be filled end to end with friends and family. Donning his own Santa suit and hoisting a large velvet bag, great excitement and gleeful screams would ring out as he burst into the house with a loud “Ho ho ho!”, seating himself next to the fireplace and proceeding to hand out gifts.
In later years with the fire department, Jim organized and led a beloved annual event, creating a caravan of holiday-decorated fire trucks crammed with carolers, which would roar through New City’s neighborhoods, lights blazing, sirens screaming and horns blaring, and descend on the homes of selected residents in hardship to serenade them with Christmas cheer.
Jim Avaras was a man of simple needs: family, friends, warmth, conviviality, and the respect earned by being a giving, trusted and honorable member of his community. He preferred Don Diego Cigars, cooking delicious home-cooked meals, family dinners with everyone present at the table, the music of Pavarotti and Céline Dion, Chevy Suburbans and Massey Ferguson tractors. But Jim was much, much more than that. In the words of his son Austin, “Through Dad’s triumphs and tribulations I learned the values of courage, integrity, grace and gratitude. I will hold these values close to my heart for the rest of my days and honor Dad’s life by continuing to live by the words he lived by… ‘Just do the right thing.’” Jim Avaras always, always did the right thing. We loved him, and we miss him terribly.
Memorial gatherings and services for James Avaras will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024, as follows:
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a visitation for James will be held at Michael J. Higgins Funeral Service Inc., located at 321 S Main St, New City, New York 10956. A funeral service will follow, from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m., at the same address. There will then be a procession that travels across the Hudson River to Cold Spring Cemetery, 15-61 Peekskill Rd., Cold Spring, NY 10516, where the burial service will take place at 4 p.m. The day will conclude at New City Fire Engine Company No. 1, 15 Maple Ave., New City, NY 10956, for a celebration of life gathering with food and drinks.
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