James E.  Carr, Sr.

November 26, 2021

James Edward Carr, 84, passed away at his home on Friday on Swan Hollow Road, Alexandria Bay, surrounded by his loving family.

James   was born on September 4 ^th , 1937 in Syracuse, NY to William and Mable Bennink Carr.  He grew up on Lawrence Road in North Syracuse, where many childhood memories were made, and graduated from North Syracuse High School.

Jim was a “car guy” from day 1.  In his teens he had a junk yard and race track in the back forty.  His brothers and sisters would collect bottles and cans for gas money for rides on is “doodle bug”.  He belonged to the car club “Soot City Ramblers”, where he drove his ’38 Buick hot rod.

Jim also loved airplanes and turned that love into service to the country when, after high school. He was a jet mechanic in the United States Navy from 1957-1961.  While in jet school in Memphis, TN, Jim was hitchhiking when Elvis Presley pulled up in a brand new Cadillac and gave him a ride back to the base, where he got Elvis’s autograph for his two teenage sisters.  Jim enjoyed his time in San Diego where his fighter wing deployed with the USS Ranger CVA61.

After his discharge from the Navy, Jim hired out on the Railroad where he was a Freight Conductor, following his father, grandfather, and older brother Vic.  Jim met and married Jacqueline Costello on August 18, 1962 and had two children, James Jr. and Jennifer.  He purchased a 125 acre farm in Lakeport, NY.  On the farm he had horses, cows, pigs, and chickens.  Jim loved his horse, Peter.  He sold the farm and then the family moved to Chittenango, NY while he continued on the Railroad.  He was a Freight Conductor for 40 years, retiring in 2000.

He was involved in many civic organizations including the Jaycees.  Following his divorce from Jacqueline, he met and married Pam Strutz on May 15, 1976.  Jim and Pam purchased his parents’ home in East Syracuse, NY, which was also the home of his grandparents.  Jim and Pam enjoyed many years on Henrietta Street as they renovated and restored much of the house.  Through the years Jim loved to fish from the pond on the farm to the camp on the north shore of Oneida Lake where many summers were spent.  Jim enjoyed RV-ing with Pam.  They traveled all over the country and through the Maritimes.  The trip to Europe and the week he spent in Oshkosh, WI for the airplane show was a highlight of his travels.  Jim and Pam were the owners of Sylvan Beach Delicatessen.  He enjoyed the customers and their stories.

Jim and Pam retired from the Railroad and built a retirement home in Alexandria Bay in 2006 where he loved feeding the animals and working in his garage on his old cars.  A highlight of the many car shows was his 1 ^st Place for open car in Clayton, NY but is favorite was the kids’ choice at Cape Vincent with his ’67 Convertible.

He loved his time he spent at their cottage on Mud Bay off Lake Ontario and fishing there.

He was very proud of his children, Jimmy and Jennifer, and Jennifer’s husband Eric, and his grandchildren Eric II (Taylor) Rasmussen and Rachel Rasmussen(Rodney).

Jim is survived by his loving wife and soul mate, Pam; his son, James E. Carr, Jr, Syracuse; his daughter , Jennifer (Eric) Rasmussen, Kirkville, NY; grandchildren Eric II and Rachel Rasmussen; sister Geraldine Newberry, Alexandria Bay; brothers Howard (Nancy) Carr, East Syracuse, NY, and John (Edna) Carr, Virginia.  He is predeceased by his siblings Vic Carr, Billy Carr, Louise Behm, Doug Carr, and Beatrice Quinn.

Calling hours will be held from 12 noon – 2 pm on Thursday, December 2 ^nd at Costello Funeral Home, followed by a memorial service with Lay Leader Kristy Reynolds.  Burial will be at Barnes Settlement Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Jim’s name to the Agarwal Renal Center, 124 Ford St., Ogdensburg, NY 13669 or the Alexandria Bay rescue Squad, 110 Walton St., Alexandria Bay, NY 13607.