BRISTOL — James Richard Lucia, (aka Jim, Jim Bob, Ole Buck, Pops, Big Duffer, Bert, and Linda’s Pooh Bear) age 79, passed away on Wednesday morning, Feb. 16, 2022, at his home in Bristol with his wife Linda by his side following a long battle with severe COPD.

Jim was born on Oct. 6, 1942, in Burlington, Vt. He was the son of the late Mabel James, stepson to the late William James. Throughout his childhood, he lived in Lincoln, Bristol Notch and then in Bristol, where he lived with and took care of his grandmother Alma Lucia. After Alma passed away, he purchased the home where he and Linda have shared many wonderful years together raising their family there.

Jim attended elementary school in Lincoln and Bristol. He graduated from Bristol High School in 1962. While in high school he enjoyed playing baseball, especially being a pitcher for his team. After high school he started a career as a mason tender and as a carpenter. Later on, he began his career until retirement in the heating and ventilating trade. He was very meticulous in whatever he did and took pride in the work he did. 

He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was a medic while serving in Vietnam and was honorably discharged.

In March of 1976 Jim started dating his wonderful wife Linda, where they both worked, and on Feb. 24, 1979 they were married.

He was gifted with two beautiful, wonderful, loving children; his son Matthew and his daughter Melissa. In 2004 he also was blessed with a beautiful granddaughter, Maisy, who he cherished with all of his heart (his little duffer), and his daughter-in-law Caitlin and a grandchild that is due in June. 

In the time before he was diagnosed with COPD, Jim loved hunting, fishing, gardening, traveling, getting to go to many places with Linda and his children — Pennsylvania to the Amish countryside; Maine in the summer to get a meal or two of fresh seafood; Nashville, Tenn.; Nova Scotia; a southern Caribbean cruise for his and Linda’s 25th wedding anniversary; Florida to Disney World with his two children Matthew and Melissa; Hawaii; Holland; and lastly to the best trip ever taken, Alaska, where he enjoyed so much seeing Denali in the clear, caribou, grizzly bears, the glaciers, a salmon hatchery, and the gorgeous beauty of the state. 

At home he loved playing solitaire, trying his luck on scratch tickets in which he was lucky most of the time; sitting on his front porch, and mostly he enjoyed spending time with his family, cousins and friends.

Jim had a wonderful sense of humor that got the chuckle from lots of people he knew.

Jim is survived by the love of his life, his wife Linda of 43 years, his son Matthew, daughter-in-law Caitlin and their baby due this June, of Burlington, Vt.; and his daughter, Melissa and granddaughter Maisy of North Carolina. He also is survived by his three stepsisters, four sisters-in-law along with their families, many cousins, and friends. He was predeceased by his mother Mabel and stepfather Bill, his grandparents William and Alma Lucia, his mother-in-law and father-in-law Jack and Timmie Barber, several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. 

Funeral arrangements are as follows: Calling hours will be on Friday, Feb. 25, from 5-7 p.m., at the Brown McClay Funeral Home in Bristol, Vt.  Funeral Service will be on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m., at the Brown McClay Funeral Home in Bristol.  Face masks will be required for both.

Sometime this summer his family plans on having a picnic-like celebration of Jim’s life for family and friends.

In Lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Bristol Rescue Squad or to the Addison County Home Health and Hospice. To send online condolences to his family please visit www.brownmcclayfuneralhomes.com.◊