James Hubbard

Coventry, R.I. — James Harold Hubbard, 89, of Coventry, R.I., passed away on Dec. 30, 2017, with his daughters and their families by his side.

Born on May 26, 1928, in the borough of Stonington, Jim graduated from Stonington High School in 1946. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving in the Mediterranean aboard the USS Littlerock until 1948, when he was honorably discharged. Jim married Lila Steele of Mystic in 1949. They were married 60 years before she passed in 2009.

In 1948, Jim went to work for the Boston Wire Stitcher Co. in Westerly, R.I., at an entry level position. He built a distinguished 43-year career with the company now known as Stanley Bostitch, attaining the position of vice president of Pacific Fastener Manufacturing before retiring in 1991. During his career, he and Lila lived in Mystic, Visalia, Calif. and Warwick, R.I. In retirement, they lived in Arroyo Grande and Chico, Calif. He returned to Rhode Island last June to be near his East Coast family for his final days.

Jim is survived by his second wife, Thelma Capps Hubbard of Chico, Calif.; his three children, Donald Hubbard and wife, Laverna, of Chico, Calif., Cheryle Souza of Coventry, R.I., and Barbara Confreda and husband, John, of North Providence, R.I.; his seven grandchildren, Denise Shoemaker, Carl Hubbard, Jamie Hubbard, Christina Souza, Kayla Souza, Sharon Confreda Jones and Michelle Confreda Behm; and three great-grandchildren, Brady and Emerson Behm and Jaxxon Jones. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Mae Hubbard of Stonington, his sister, Dorothy Heath of Stonington, his son-in-law, Thomas Souza of Coventry, R.I., and his granddaughter, Karie Hubbard of Chico, Calif.

A wake will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7, at the Mystic Funeral Home on Route 1 in Mystic. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Fischer Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, 110 E. 42nd St., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Jim’s family wishes to thank the caregivers at Prestige Assisted Living in Chico, Calif., Brookdale Center of Coventry, R.I., and Brookdale SNF in South Kingston, R.I., for Jim’s care in his final days.