James E. Galvin

James Edward Galvin, 86, passed away on March 11, 2020, at Southern NH Medical Center, after a short illness, in the company of his family. Jim was born in Melrose, MA in 1933, to John and Josephine Galvin, both second-generation Irish Americans. He graduated from Wakefield HS in 1951, and attended Boston University, before joining the US Navy as a radio operator during the Korean conflict. With the GI bill he completed his degree in US History at U Mass, Amherst. There, he met Ana Maria (Nina) Cordones, a graduate student from Argentina, whom he married in 1958. They taught school in Torreon, Mexico for a year, then lived in Argentina, where their daughter Colleen was born. On their return to the US in 1961, Jim taught high school courses in US History for several years, then began a 30 year career in sales service with Westvaco , a packaging company in Springfield , MA, while Nina taught at UMass in the Spanish department. They raised their daughter in the rural town of Granby, MA, and Jim shared with her his passions for skiing and theater. He was an active member of several community theater groups in the Granby area, and they both skied at Mt. Tom (Holyoke, MA) during the week, and in Stowe VT whenever they could. In 1995, Nina and Jim retired to Stowe, and began another extraordinary chapter in their lives. Jim treasured the years he spent as a Stowe Host at Mt. Mansfield, and as both actor and director in his beloved local theater community. He volunteered at the Stowe Public Library, and both he and Nina played an active coordinating role with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (a UVM sponsored program that brings expert speakers to the community for adult learners). Still, Jim without exception, always had time for his grandchildren, Samantha and Robert. With him, they hiked surrounding trails, learned to swim and ski, and of course, went to the theater. After Nina’s death in 2015, Jim moved to NH with Colleen and her husband Chris, continuing his innate enjoyment of life, taking long walks, reading many books, and making new friends and relationships. He was predeceased by his wife, Ana Maria Galvin, his brother, Gen. John R. Galvin and his sisters, Mary and Barbara Galvin. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Colleen and Christopher Guiry, his grandchildren, Samantha and Robert Guiry, his sister, Nancy Galvin, his sister-in-law Virginia Galvin, and his nieces, Mary Jo Schrade, Beth Galvin, Kathleen Galvin and Erin Scranton. Memorial visiting hours have been cancelled. To share a memory or offer a condolence please go to www.smith-heald.com.In lieu of flowers, we encourage donations to the Lamoille County Players at: www.lcplayers.com/take-action. Under the “additional information” section, you may donate in Jim’s honor, under his name.