James E. Clair Jr. 57, of Dover, MA former co-owner of Clair Auto Group died on Tues March 4, 2008 at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington.
Born in Boston he was raised in Weston and graduated from Weston High School, attended Maine Central Institute and graduated from Nathaniel Hawthorne College in 1973. He was listed in Who’s Who in America in American Colleges. Jim worked with his father Ernie Clair and brothers establishing Clair Auto Group which was recently sold. He was starting a new career as a timber farmer with his brother Michael, on vast acreage they recently purchased in Wellington, ME. He had recently finished building a log cabin on Moosehead Lake in Greenville, ME.
An avid outdoorsman, Jim enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing, boating, golfing and snowmobiling. He had been on several big game hunting excursions and fished on several continents. He also took many fishing trips by small plane to remote lakes for fishing expeditions, and helped friends transfer boats up and down the east coast. Jim had a vast collection of antique cars and was continually adding to his collection, had participated in the Monster Shark Fishing Tournaments off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, was an avid Boston sports fan having attended opening day at Fenway most of his life, and was renowned for his stories and jokes. He held dual citizenship in Ireland and the US and had been a supporter of the Colorado Freestyle Ski Team, GBARC and had chaired several golf tournaments for NE Baptist Hospital in Boston and many other charities.
Jim was a member of the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co., The Wellesley Country Club, Tournament Players Club of Boston, Tralee Golf Club Tralee Ireland, Union Club of Boston, George P. Preston Post No. 209 American Legion of Dover, the Moosehead Lake Yacht Club, former member of the Corporate Board of N.E. Baptist Hospital and a Lifetime member of NRA.
Jim is survived by his wife Claire (McMahon) Clair, his son James Ernest Clair III of Boston, his mother Theresa (Walton) Clair of Weston, his sister Mary T. Clair of Weymouth and his brothers Joseph P. Clair and his wife Laurie of Medfield and Michael S. Clair and his wife Cornelia of Biddeford, ME, his sister in law of Jane Clair of Dover and many nieces and nephews. He was the son of the late James “Ernie” Clair and brother of the late Mark J. Clair.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Mon March 10 at 10 AM in the Church of the Most Precious Blood, Center St. Dover. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours will be in the Eaton Funeral Home 1351 Highland Ave (exit 19B off Rte 128) NEEDHAM on Sat & Sun from 4-8 PM. Interment will be in Highland Cemetery Dover.
In lieu of flowers memorials in Jim’s name may be made to Lahey Clinic c/o Philanthropy Dept. 41 Mall Rd. Burlington, MA 01805 or New England Baptist Hospital c/o Development Office, 125 Parker Hill Rd. Boston, MA 02120.