Sophie St. James, loving wife, sister, mother, aunt and grandmother, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 ,after a short illness, on Friday, February 22. She was born at home on December 17, 1922 to Anna Senyk Tymczuk and John Tymczuk, the 5th of 6 children. She was a 1940 graduate of Pittsfield High School.
She married her husband Raymond J. St. James Jr. at St. John’s Ukrainian Church on May 17, 1947, and they had two sons – David P. St. James and Dennis P. St. James, both of whom predeceased her. During her early days she worked at Gotham Medical Supply Co. in Long Island City, NY, and during the years of WW II at the A. H. Rice Company in Pittsfield. For 20 years she was the smiling face behind the cosmetic counter at England Brothers Department Store, retiring when the store went out of business.
She was a former member of St. Teresa’s Church and of St. John’s Ukrainian Church where she sang in the choir, and was a member of the Ukrainian Woman’s Club. She was the oldest living member of St. John’s Church at its closing a few years ago. She was also a member of the Froio Senior Center and of the Red Hat Camellias of Berkshire County.
Sophie loved to travel and went on many bus excursions with her sister Jean throughout the United States and to Canada and Mexico. She was an avid reader and spent many joyful hours working in her flower garden. She was a collector of dolls, of Ukraininian Easter eggs, and of Santa Clauses which she artfully displayed throughout her house at the appropriate season.
She was an excellent knitter; she also crocheted, made braided rugs, and did macrame and counted cross stitch. Sophie totally supported her sons in all of their endeavors. She was the sunshine to all who knew her and was loved by all she met.
She had honorary sons and daughters in many places across the country, and was welcoming, talented, strong and positive throughout the many trials of her life. Sophie is survived by one sister, Eugenia Tymczuk, two nephews Peter and Stephen Nykorchuk, all of Pittsfield, one niece Lois Macejewski of Old Greenwich CT, a daughter-in-law Lucy St. James, a granddaughter Nell Ketchum (Aaron Rocha), and a great grandson Otis Rocha, to whom she was his enthusiastic, devoted and loving Gigi. She also leaves a great nephew Matthew Maciejewski of Connecticut, a great niece ( her god daughter) Andrea Patient of Great Britain, along with several great great nieces and nephews, in all of whom she took great pride.
She is also survived by distant cousins in North Dakota, where her parents first settled when they arrived in the USA from the Ukraine. To her nieces and nephews, she was “Aunt Gim”, a nickname stemming from her childhood. In addition to her two sons, she was predeceased by her husband in 1975, by 2 brothers, 2 sisters and 3 nephews, and by many dear friends.
Funeral Notice: Funeral services for Sophie St. James will be Friday, March 1, 2019 at 1 p.m. at the Dwyer Funeral Home, with Father Janusz Jedrychowski, officiating. There will be an hour of visitation at the funeral home, prior to the service, from 12 noon until 1 p.m. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Lenox, Massachusetts, in care of the Dwyer Funeral Home, 776 North St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 in her memory.
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