James S. DeMarco Sr.

James S. DeMarco, Sr., of Niantic, CT, passed away on January 31, 2011, at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital after a strong fight with heart disease. Jim was born on July 20, 1926, in New London, CT the son of Santi and Vincenza Perrone DiMarco.

Jim and Rose L. (Guarino) DeMarco were married on September 7, 1947, in Newark, NJ, on one of the hottest days of that year. Jim and Rose lived in Newark and raised their two children there until moving to Niantic in 1966.

Jim attended Nameaug School and was a 1944 graduate of Chapman Technical High School in New London. He also attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

Growing up in New London Jim was an active member of the New London Boy’s Brigade. While in Newark he founded his own Boy’s Brigade at First Avenue School. He also found time to help his wife with her Girl Scout troops in Newark and Niantic on camping trips and field trips.

He served in the United States Army, and was a veteran of the Korean War. Having been a radio operator during the war, he was employed by Templetone Radio, RCA and then Bendix Aviation in Teterboro, NJ for over 15 yrs when he left to move his family to CT. Jim retired in 1990 after 22 years at General Dynamics/Electric Boat in Groton, where he was a service engineer.

He is survived by his wife Rose L. DeMarco, his daughter Rose Virginia DeMarco and partner, David Prebenna of Brookfield; his son James DeMarco, Jr., and wife Jackie of Waterford; his grandchildren Michael DeMarco, John DeMarco, Kristin Langston and Alison Rose DeMarco; and his brother Angelo J. DeMarco and wife Gloria of Cranston, RI. His oldest brother, Alexander R. DeMarco, of New London, predeceased him.

The funeral will assemble on Saturday at 9am at Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, 13 Lake Ave., Niantic and will proceed to a 10am Mass of Christian Burial in St. Agnes Church, 22 Haigh Ave., Niantic. Burial with military honors will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, New London. Calling hours will be held on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9pm at the funeral home.

Memorial donations in his memory may be made to: St. Edmund’s Retreat at Enders Island, PO Box 399, Mystic, CT 06355. To sign the on line guest book visit www.fultontherouxniantic.com.