SPENCER – Brother Albert James, OCSO, a Trappist monk of St. Joseph's Abbey, 167 North Spencer Road, died Monday, August 19, 2013 at UMass Medical Center in Worcester after a long illness.
Born Albert Gerard James in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1939, he attended LaSalle College in Philadelphia, and entered the Trappist monastery of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer in 1961, professing his vows in 1964. He served the monastery faithfully over many years as Sub-master of novices, Director of The Holy Rood Guild, Distribution Coordinator for Cistercian Publications and Trappist Preserves, Porter at the Abbey's bookstore and gift shop, Dispatcher, and, in his spare time, as a fine artist and a lover of music, especially operas.
As well as his brothers at the Abbey, Brother Albert is survived by his sisters, Mary Sobczak, Theresa James and Gertrude Saunders and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, August 22 at 2 P.M. at St. Joseph’s Abbey. Burial is in the Abbey cemetery. J. HENRI MORIN & SON FUNERAL HOME, 23 Maple Terrace, Spencer, is directing arrangements.