James M. Nee Obituary
Dr. James Michael Nee, 81, of Brookline, formerly of New Bedford and Roslindale.
Beloved son of Molly (Cooke) and Coleman Nee. Survived by his brother Coleman Nee of Bal Harbour, FL and Patrick Nee of Roslindale. He joins his brothers Thomas Nee, Fr. Francis Nee and sister Mary Gwynn at the kitchen table once again. Uncle Jimmy was also survived by his adoring nieces and nephews: Michael Gwynn of Falmouth; Christopher Gwynn of Quincy; Kathleen Leonard of Cary, NC; Kerry Clasby of Las Vegas; Mary Jane McGill and Pamela Nee Barker of Needham; Nancy Nee Hanifin of Jamaica Plain; Elaine Nee of Lonetree, CO and Thomas P Nee Jr of Derwood, MD; Patrick Nee of Seregno, Italy and Christine Nee of Venice, CA; Coleman Nee Jr of Geneva, Switzerland and Susan Nee of Bay Harbor Islands, FL. All of whom were successfully and simultaneously squeezed into his 1970 Volkswagen for rides to the Cataumet Dairy Mart. And another wave of delight arrived with the addition of his many grand nieces and nephews. He was also grateful for his cousins in Ireland, the Nee’s in Bunahown and the The Hynes/Cooke’s in Kilkieran.
Born in 1936, Jim graduated with some kind of honors from Boston Latin School in 1954. He received a BA in Literature from Boston College in 1959 and an MA in 1963, after returning home from studying at the University of Munich. He took Horace’s advice and traveled west to the University of Michigan where he was awarded his PhD in Comparative Literature. From there he taught as an Associate Professor at Purdue University before landing as a Professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in 1971 where he kept freshman and seniors alike head-bobbing and drooling at their desks until 2015. In addition to UMass, over the years, during his sabbaticals Jim taught at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin; the American University in Paris; the New School for Social Research in New York; University of California- Channel Islands; Fordham University and the University of Tuebingen. His courses included English literature, Irish literature, writing, screenwriting, acting, and most recently mythical interpretation of scripture.
In a quest for ever more letters after his name, Jim took a sabbatical from UMass in 1996, pitched up in gritty, pre-gentrified Chelsea and in 1998, received an MFA in Theater Arts from the New School in association with the Actors Studio. Though all who knew him would agree that the one degree he should’ve been awarded was a Psy.D., as he was known far and wide for his most empathetic ear and late-into-the-night chats. He was the epitome of patience in that regard.
Descended from a line of Irish seanachaithe (his grandfather’s recordings are in the Royal Irish Academy, Queen’s University Belfast, NUI Galway and University College Cork) Jim’s storytelling was epic. The family invites you to share in that tradition this weekend. Visiting hours 4-7pm on Friday February 16th at Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre Street, West Roxbury. Funeral 10am Saturday February 17th Holy Name Church in West Roxbury, 1689 Centre Street, West Roxbury. Interment St. Joseph’s Cemetery West Roxbury. Jim’s only last request was a grand Nee send-off; join us for “scéalta, ceol, ól, agus craic” after the burial at West on Centre, 1732 Centre Street, West Roxbury.
Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home
www.lawlerfuneralhome.com
617-323-5600