Posted on 07/03/2019
James J. "Jim" Connolly, a loyal husband, father and Marine, died June 19, 2019 in Williamsburg, Virginia. He was born in Astoria, New York to the late Peter Connolly and Anna Duffy Connolly. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Claire F. Connolly, his daughter Patricia, and his siblings. Jim is survived by his wife, Doris Gaythwaite, and his children; Marion C. Brisco and her husband Phillip, Kathleen C. Hovanic and her husband William, James P. Connolly, and Barbara C. Sukramani. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, his sister-in-law Gladys Connolly, and many nieces and nephews. Jim earned a BS degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1953, and a MS from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1968. He retired from the United States Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant colonel after twenty years' service. Jim joined the College of William and Mary as a physical plant administrator, and later worked with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in construction contract supervision. Jim loved cars, jelly doughnuts, and spending time with his family members. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Bede Catholic Church on Monday, July 8, 2019 at 11 am, with refreshments at the church afterward. Burial will take place in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, 875 N. Randolph St. Ste 225, Arlington, VA 22203, or www.nmcrs.org.)
Published in Virginia Gazette from July 3 to July 13, 2019