James R. McCartney

Beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather, James Robert McCartney left this world on Thursday, June 27, 2024, surrounded by his children.   “Jim,” Dad, “Gragra” was ninety-two years old.  He died peacefully at Stroudwater Lodge in Westbrook, ME, where he moved two and a half years ago to be closer to more family members after the loss of his beloved wife, Lois Ann Fraser to Alzheimer’s in 2021. 

Jim was born on January 6, 1932 in Elmira, NY, to James Lincoln and Edith Tufts McCartney.   He is predeceased by his wife Lois, as well as his sisters, Helen Gettemy and Joan Cusick.

Jim graduated from Garden City, New York schools, heading to Ohio Wesleyan at the age of 16. He graduated with a bachelor's degree there in 1952, immediately continuing to pursue a medical degree at Columbia University, from which he graduated in 1955.Dr. McCartney began his medical career as an intern at Boston City Hospital and then completed service in the US Army with the 101st Airborne Division, holding the rank of captain between 1956 and 1958.

Jim had a fulfilling career as a psychiatrist, practicing first in Hartford, CT at the Institute of Living, moving to private practice in Garden City, NY, to academic medicine at Northshore University Hospital on Long Island, NY to Providence, RI, where he joined Brown University School of Medicine in 1980.  He was an associate professor for Brown and Chief of Pyschiatry for Miriam Hospital for almost 30 years before retiring in 1998.  Jim sang in the choir at the Barrington Community Church for years and upon moving, spent his final two plus years in Westbrook, Maine at Stroudwater Lodge.  The Stroudwater staff made the Lodge his home.   

While his academic accomplishments are many, his greatest love was for his family.  He married Lois Ann Fraser in 1952 and had four children, Lee (Tabetha), Patricia O'Connor (Michael), Douglas (Kimberlee) and Elizabeth Kruse (Russell); nine grandchildren, Kyla (Elizabeth) Caroline (Daniel) Owen (Erin), Kaitlyn (Ben), J. William (Kathleen)Kristin, Billy, Blake (Jay), and Anna (Weston); and eight great grandchildren: Nora, Maggie, Natalie, June Mary Lois, Wren, Linden, Eleanor, and Birdie. 

Jim and Lois lived and raised their children in Garden City, NY, before moving to RI where they lived for for more than thirty years. Jim spent his final two plus years in Westbrook, Maine at Stroudwater Lodge .

Jim missed Lois terribly after her death but took joy in seeing family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Many people would speak of Jim as a “larger than life” person, but mostly they remember his broad smile, intelligence, and wit. Dad was also a prolific painter in retirement, painting scenes of many of his and Lois’s travel destinations. Jim was also a big baseball fan and followed the Yankees until the end. 

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at the Barrington Congregational Church, 461 County Rd., Barrington, RI on Monday, August 26, 2024 at 11:30a. Jim will be interred with his wife Lois following the service. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Alzheimer’s Association:

https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=51079&51079.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=giving_google_SL&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD8nX1rZFY357gkfs_kPprOIto663&gclid=CjwKCAjwp4m0BhBAEiwAsdc4aLVqiEscctwJlgsxOtsRUQljkSW4uAOkHPwkb9EYCvI9u01E2lYQsxoCJpMQAvD_Bw

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