Hosker, James E.

James Edward Hosker was proudly born in Lynn Massachusetts on May 31, 1931. He died on May 19, 2020, due to complications from Covid-19, just shy of his 89th birthday.

Jim was the youngest of three sons born to Kathryn (Malone) and Alfred Hosker. He was a great storyteller and loved to tell tales of growing up in East Lynn, playing basketball with Msgr. Dolan’s CYO, trading meat rations during World War II and feeding his pet squirrel, who sadly predeceased Jim by many decades.

Upon graduation from Lynn English High School, Jim entered the military, serving as a combat infantryman during the Korean conflict. His tour lasted two years, during which he never left the front lines. Jim required hearing aids in his later years due to a bomb that exploded too close, but thankfully not close enough. He was given an honorable discharge.

After his return from Korea, he married the beautiful Jean Elizabeth (Sharp) of Swampscott, and moved to Nahant. During their time in Nahant, Jim and Jean raised three children, built their own house and later, their own pool. For many years, their backyard was filled with the smiles and laughs of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and neighborhood kids, to whom the couple happily opened their house.

During his early career, Jim was a journeyman who excelled at many different jobs. He served as a Nahant police officer, both part time and full time, for over 12 years. Jim was also a Nahant fire fighter, a role in which he played many excellent games of cribbage but fought few fires. He started an oil delivery service, Hosker Oil, which used the slogan, “We make warm friends.” He owned a gas station in Nahant and a deli in Marblehead. This enterprising spirit would serve him well when he was asked to help a young and dapper Bob Crane run for State Treasurer in 1964. Eventually, Crane offered him a job at the State House in 1967 and Jim happily left the glamorous world of oil delivery behind. He served as Deputy State treasurer for 13 years. While in that position, he continued his multi-tasking, working in the treasurer’s office, assisting with Crane’s campaigns and expanding his services to help a young up and comer, Kevin White, run for mayor of Boston. Jim continued to be a close collaborator and confidant of Mayor White for the rest of their lives. He served as campaign manager for White’s 1970 gubernatorial campaign, the only one White ever lost. Jimmy may have lacked skills in campaign management but he more than compensated with his talent for numbers. Jim established the first in-house polling setup in Massachusetts. He became a pre-eminent pollster for Democrats, only polling for candidates he liked and sadly for his progeny, never taking a dime for his efforts. “Jimmy was the Mr. Boston of polling. He was an incredibly close advisor to Boston Mayor Kevin White,” said George K. Regan, White’s former press secretary . “He had a tough shell but he also had the biggest heart filled with great passion and poetry. He was truly one of a kind, a grand Bostonian.”

A sense of altruism was one of the defining features of Jim’s life. He was a Nahant Town Selectman during the Blizzard of 1978. While the storm raged, he was away from his family for 5 straight days, plowing, shoring up sandbags, rescuing families from flooded homes and delivering food and necessities around town.

In the 1980’s, Jimmy was asked to research and eventually establish the Massachusetts State Lottery. He developed both the Daily Numbers game and the first-in-the-nation Instant Game while serving as Executive Director, running the agency until 1990. After Crane’s retirement as treasurer, heeding his own long held maxim, “When you’re out, you’re out,” Jim took his talents to the Kentucky State Lottery and later GTech Texas to grow their fledgling operations into multimillion dollar institutions.

Known for his pep talks, Jimmy took it upon himself to lift everyone around him up, particularly young people new to the business. The list of co-workers he mentored is long and illustrious, as Jim always took the time to be kind to everyone. Prior to retirement at the age of

75, Jim worked at GTech in Providence, RI as a gaming consultant, working with lotteries in the United States and around the world.

Jimmy was a devoted father to his three children. He coached little league, served on the boards of their schools, organized field trips for their classes and became fast friends with their teachers. Jimmy may not have invented “bring your kids to work day” but he lived it often. He jumped at any opportunity to have them around, and there was not one moment in which his children did not feel loved.

Five years ago, Jimmy and Jean pulled up stakes from their beloved Nahant and moved inland to be closer to their grandchildren. The couple found great comfort and support at the Village at Willow Crossings in Mansfield. For the past several years, Jean has suffered with Alzheimer’s disease and Jimmy was her devoted partner, spending every minute he could with her and assisting in her care. In addition to his wife of more than 65 years, Jimmy will be sorely missed by his children, Mary Finnigan and her husband Jim of Rio Verde, AZ; Kaitlyn Cronin and her husband John of Franklin, MA and Jamie Hosker and his fianceé, Megan Cooledge of Gloucester MA.

Jim also leaves behind four loved and wellfed grandchildren, Kiara, Darragh, Molly and Caleigh Cronin. He treasured his relationships with nephews and nieces in the Hosker, Sharp and Cullinan families as well as grand nephews Harrison and Kristian Hosker. He held a special place in his heart for Jay and Maureen Locke and their family. Nothing made him happier than being surrounded by his warm and wonderful tribe.

Over the past few days, his family has been overwhelmed by the stories of Jimmy’s generosity and decency. Jimmy was a caretaker to everyone. He was a mentor to many. He will be deeply missed by those who loved him.

A small, private service will take place at Greenlawn Cemetery, Nahant. A celebration of Jim’s life will take place at a later date when it is safer to do so. In lieu of flowers, Jimmy would have wanted you to vote “early and often” for Joe Biden in November. Please honor his wishes. If you would like to donate, please do so in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or at alz.org.