On Sunday, May 10, 2020, James J. DiPrima, of Saugus, formerly of Medford, and the North End of Boston, passed away at the age of 85. Jim grew up on Charter Street in the North End of Boston. The tight knit community of the North End is where he met Jean A. Petroni whom he married nearly 57 years ago in June of 1963 at St. Stephen's Church. They raised two children, Philip and Gina DiPrima (Abey). They spent most of their lives in Medford, before Jim and Jean moved to Saugus.
Jim was a mechanical engineer by training and worked at Raytheon Co. in missile defense systems for most of his career. He and a colleague were awarded patent no. 5,062,590 by the US Government. He was an amateur artist and filmmaker, an avid reader, a lover of history, with a great intellect and curiosity, as well as a great sense of humor. He enjoyed being playful and trying to make others laugh. Jim touched the lives of everyone around him, and was always compassionate and quick to smile or joke. After retirement, he volunteered in his community, writing many articles for the local North End newspaper, greeting visitors at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Science in Boston. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, at one point serving as Chancellor, and active in the local chapter of the Sons of Italy and the Dante Alighieri Society.
One of Jim's great passions was travel. Italy was by far his favorite destination. Visiting the birthplace of his Sicilian parents was one of the highlights of his life, as were his frequent trips to California to visit his daughter and grandchildren.
Jim leaves behind family members who will miss him dearly, son Philip of North Reading, formerly of Medford, daughter-in-law Kimberly (Pulpi), daughter, Gina DiPrima of California, son-in-law Alex Abey, and beloved grandchildren Ava, William, Ella and Olivia. He will be buried in a double ceremony alongside his beloved wife Jean, at Holy Cross Cemetery.
James funeral services will be private. A celebration of life will be celebrated at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in James name to the charity of one’s choice or to Jim and Jean's gift-giving GoFundMe account https://www.gofundme.com/f/james-and-jean-diprima-memorial.