HAVERHILL: James “Jim” E. Surette, III, 56, passed away Friday, August 19th while vacationing with family at Seabrook Beach. He was the husband of Carol Ann (DeAngelis) Surette.
Born in Haverhill on May 13, 1955, he was the son of the late James E. Surette, Jr. and Rosemarie (Papatola) Surette. A lifelong resident of Haverhill, Jim was a graduate of Haverhill High School class of 1973. Jim received his Bachelor of Science Cum Laude from Suffolk University in 1977 and was a graduate of the New Hampshire Police Academy.
Jim was employed as an Insurance Claims Fraud Investigator for the Utica National Insurance Company in Wakefield. Jim had also worked as a Nashua and Hampton Beach police officer.
Active in youth sports, he was a longtime coach for the Haverhill American Baseball Little League In Town and Travel Teams; Haverhill Boys & Girls Basketball In Town and Travel Teams; conducted various Haverhill Youth Baseball and Basketball clinics; and was the Coach of the AAU Massachusetts Hurricanes & Cyclones Girl Basketball Teams. Jim was a member of FRIG; The Haverhill Touchdown Club; Haverhill Sports Boosters; The New Hampshire and Nashua Police Relief Associations and the Massachusetts Police Chiefs Association.
Jim was a "Man of Many Hats" who enjoyed his annual Family & Friends Beach vacations at Seabrook, attending his nieces and nephews sporting events and loved to cruise in his blue 1978 VW Bug convertible. Jim was recognized as the Northeast Regional Nose Balancing Champion.
In addition to his beloved wife of 31 years, he is survived by his son, Ryan James Surette and his daughter, Nicole Marie Surette both of Haverhill; four sisters, Sandra Surette Eidam of Haverhill, Ronda and her husband, William Derasmo of Northport, NY, Donna Surette of Tewksbury and Janeen Grost and her fiancé, Ron Maloney of Dewitt, MI; a brother, David and his wife, Renee (Poulin) Surette of Haverhill; a sister-in-law, Phyllis DeAngelis of Groveland; a brother-in-law, Stephen and his wife, Angela (Arnoul) DeAngelis of Chelmsford; Aunts Phyllis DeAngelis of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Sandra Surette of Peabody, Godmother Antoinette and Uncle Robert Esposito of Ohio; beloved nieces and nephews, Godchild James Auger, Chris Auger and his fiancé, Lauren Kimball, Kasie Auger; Stephen Surette, Godchild Shane Surette, Danny Surette; Lexi Derasmo, William Derasmo; Jessica Grost, Brad Grost; Tiana DeAngelis, Godchild Kaela DeAngelis, Michael DeAngelis and Lilia DeAngelis; his beloved dog “Vinny”; and many cousins. Jim was predeceased by his mother-in-law and father-in-law Carola and George DeAngelis of Groveland; brother-in-law, Carl Eidam of Haverhill; Aunt Evelyn Desmarais of Haverhill; and Uncle Leroy Surette of Haverhill.
Jim's Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday in the All Saints Church, 120 Bellevue Ave., Haverhill at 10 a.m. Relatives and Friends are cordially invited to attend the "Honoring of Jim's Life" on Tuesday in the Linnehan-Grondin Funeral Home, 129 Kenoza Avenue, Haverhill from 4 – 8 p.m. At Jim’s request, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to The Jim Surette Family Scholarship Fund for Haverhill High School, P.O. Box 1871, Haverhill, MA 01830. Interment will be private.