James Daniel “Jimmy” McElroy Jr., known to many as Jim, Jimi-Mac, and Big Jim, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 21, 2026, surrounded by his loving family at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was 69 years old.
Born on June 21, 1957, in Brockton, Massachusetts, to the late James D. McElroy Sr. and Grace (Fresina) McElroy, Jimmy was a graduate of Walpole High School, Class of 1975. He first met Debbie (Schippers) McElroy when they were 14 years old, and although life took them in different directions for a time, they reconnected in their early twenties. From there, they built a life and a love that would last more than four decades. They celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary in July. Together, they built their life in Wrentham, first putting down roots in their home near Lake Pearl and later building the family home of their dreams.
Jimmy was a true stand-up guy who would give you the shirt off his back. He was witty, a legendary ball buster, and never met an inappropriate joke he didn’t like. He loved to tease the people he loved, and if he gave you a nickname, you knew you had earned a place in his heart. His daughters, Nichole Verbit and Shana Heise, were “his girls.” Nichole was “Skootch” or “Nikki,” while Shana was “Shana Boom” or simply “Boom.”
Family was everything to Jimmy. He was a devoted husband, a fiercely proud dad, and an adoring Papa to his five grandchildren: Harlow, Lucas and Hayes Verbit, and Joseph James “JJ” and Boden Heise.
Being Papa was one of the roles Jimmy cherished most. He was the ultimate hands-on grandfather and would drop anything for his grandchildren. He helped raise JJ, caring for him every day during his first year so Shana could return to work, a time lovingly known as “Papa Daycare.” There were pig piles on Papa, fishing trips, hockey lessons, sports games, building projects, and countless everyday moments that became some of his family’s most treasured memories. He loved watching his grandchildren play sports, even when he had to watch via video. He was always their number one fan. He shared his love of fishing with them and was never happier than when he had a grandchild beside him, whether on a boat, a dock, or a quiet afternoon by the water.
Jimmy spent approximately 30 years as the owner of Certified Tool, building the business from the ground up. He was a master metal fabricator who took tremendous pride in his work and in what he had created through his own skill, determination, and hard work. He was naturally curious and incredibly capable, with a talent for making things work. If there was something he didn’t know how to do or fix, he would always figure it out.
His love of craftsmanship extended into one of his greatest passions: motorcycles. Jimmy custom-built Harley-Davidsons, combining his talent as a fabricator with his love of riding. His one-of-a-kind custom Softail was featured in American Iron magazine in 2003.
Jimmy loved music, concerts, traveling, camping, fishing, and sports. He was an avid fisherman, equally happy deep-sea fishing on the Captains boat or casting a line from the shore. He was a hockey player growing up and later took great pride in sharing his love of the game with his grandsons.
He and Debbie shared a love of Boston sports, particularly the Patriots and Bruins. They held Patriots season tickets for 22 years and were fortunate enough to travel together to New Orleans for the Patriots’ first Super Bowl victory. Game days were filled with excitement. If you happened to be at Novatos with Jimmy and his friends during a game, you could probably hear him passionately yelling, “DEFENSE!”
In retirement, Jimmy found new passions and somehow managed to stay just as busy. He took up gardening and discovered that he was a pretty incredible cook. He loved finding a new recipe and making something special for Debbie. He and Debbie also enjoyed spending weekends together wandering through flea markets and yard sales, often coming home with something that inevitably became the beginning of yet another project around the house.
Jimmy kept his circle small but tight. His friends were family, and his loyalty ran deep. He was the person you called when you needed help, advice, a laugh, or someone who would simply show up. He had a way of making people feel cared for without ever making a big production of it.
For the last five years of his life, Jimmy fought stage IV lung cancer with extraordinary determination. He stayed committed to his treatments and repeatedly told his cancer team to keep going whenever they suggested taking a break. Through every treatment, he faced whatever was in front of him head-on with the same Jimmy spirit: a smile, a peace sign, or a thumbs-up. He fought because he wanted more time with Debbie, his girls, his grandchildren, his family, and his friends.
Jimmy leaves behind his wife and best friend, Debbie; his daughters, Nichole Verbit and her husband Matthew, and Shana Heise and her husband Joseph; and his five grandchildren, Harlow, Lucas and Hayes Verbit, and Joseph James “JJ” and Boden Heise. He also leaves behind his siblings, Karen McElroy, Charles “Chuckie” McElroy and his wife, Judie, and Doreen “Dody” McElroy and her fiancé, Curtis; his brother-in-law Johnny Schippers and his wife, Rhonda; and a large extended family, including many nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as countless friends who loved him dearly. He was predeceased by his parents, James D. McElroy Sr. and Grace (Fresina) McElroy, and his sister, Trisha Grady.
Jimmy didn’t need to tell people what kind of man he was. You knew it by the way he lived. He worked hard, loved fiercely, stayed true to himself, and showed up for the people who mattered most. He taught his family resilience, strength, independence, and the importance of never worrying too much about what other people think.
His presence was larger than life, and his absence will be felt just as deeply.
He was a husband, dad, Papa, brother, friend, fisherman, hockey player, craftsman, gardener, cook, motorcycle enthusiast, sports fan, storyteller, and professional ball buster.
He was one of a kind, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Funeral Services
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Wrentham, Massachusetts. A celebration of Jimmy’s life will immediately follow at Novatos Bar and Grill in Norfolk, Massachusetts. Jimmy’s final resting place will be chosen privately with close family and friends at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America in Jimmy’s memory. Family and friends are invited to come together to honor and celebrate a man who was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed.
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