James McInerney Jr.
Old Lyme — James S. McInerney Jr. of Norwalk and Old Lyme, beloved husband of Eileen McInerney for more than 55 years, passed away peacefully, while surrounded with his family, on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017.
Born in the Bronx, N.Y., in the Country Club section on Nov. 4, 1937, he was the son of the late James and Evelyn (Gerth) McInerney. Jim and his wife Eileen were proud and longtime residents in Norwalk before permanently moving to Old Lyme in 2013. While Jim loved his life in Norwalk, he also enjoyed the peacefulness of sitting at Rogers Lake along with his family and friends.
Jim graduated from All Hollows High School in 1955, earned a Bachelor’s of Science in civil engineering from Manhattan College in1960, and later completed the Harvard University Advanced Management Program. After working as a civil engineer for the New York Transit Authority, Jim served as a general manager of the Second District Water Department in Norwalk. He joined Stamford Water Co. in 1970, and continued moving onto jobs of increasing responsibility and was named president in 1977. While serving as SWC president in 1984, the company was acquired by Bridgeport Hydraulic Co. (BHC) and Jim was named president and CEO. Jim brought BHC through the largest series of capital projects in the company’s 144-year history which resulted in five water filtration facilities, four of which feature a state-of-theart filtration technology. He is a recipient of the Water Works State Leadership Award from the New England Water Works Association, and in June 2000 was voted a lifetime member of the AWWA. During his tenure at BHC, Jim received the Business New Haven Magazine “Corporate Citizen of the Year” honor and BHC was the first water utility in the northeast to clinch a statewide Small Organization Quality Award based on the Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award. Jim also served on the boards of environmental organizations such as Housatonic Valley Association and Rivers Alliance.
Jim, also known to many as “Popeye,” was a great man. He was kind, gentle, loving and had a heart of gold. Family meant the world to Jim. He especially enjoyed the time he spent with his eight beloved grandchildren, which included attending their football, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and softball games, piano and dance recitals, and their annual family vacations in Disney World.
Jim is survived by three loving children, James S. McInerney III and his wife, Denise, of Norwalk, Noreen Ranelli of Old Lyme, and Erin DiProspero and her husband, Mike, of Madison; eight cherished grandchildren, Meghan Rose, James Stewart IV, and Patrick Joseph McInerney, Natalie Paige and Aidan Joseph Ranelli, Dane Michael, Declan Mac and Dillon Jag DiProspero; his loving sister, Evelyn Roman of Old Lyme; his niece, Jennifer; two nephews, Jay and Chris; and their families whom he loved deeply.
Our family cannot express in words how grateful we are to everyone who cared for Jim with so much compassion during the last several weeks of his life, especially Joan Rode, Carol, and all the nurses and aides.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, in St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Ave., Norwalk, for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be in St. John’s Cemetery, 223 Richards Ave., Norwalk. Relatives and friends may greet the family from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Ave., Norwalk. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation (www.parkinson.org) or Chase Family Movement Disorders Center (www.hartfordhealthcare.org/services/movement-disorders-center).
For directions or to leave an online condolence, please go to:www.Magn er funeral home. com.