Ralph David James

Hudson, NH – After a five-year battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Ralph David James, 74, died peacefully at Community Hospice House in Merrimack on August 18, 2021, with his wife Clarice G. James by his side.

Born May 31, 1947, to Ralph Paul James and Martha Elizabeth (Garman) James in Washington, DC, Ralph (known as David to family and friends) was raised in McLean, VA. He graduated from McLean High School in 1965, then actively served in the US Navy from 1966 to 1970 and was honorably discharged from the Naval Reserves in 1972.

David attended college locally before being employed by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in DC. He moved to New Hampshire after a transfer to Perini Corporation and retired after 30 plus years as a project manager in Perini’s employ. His closest friend at Perini put it this way: “What I really like about him is that he had a unique sense of humor. It was subtle, rich in depth, and sometimes incredibly obtuse, which scared the heck out of me because I understood it … and I loved it.”

David enjoyed spending time with family and friends and honing his skills in his writing critique group. He and his wife worshipped together at Gate City Church in Nashua, NH.

He was pre-deceased by his parents Ralph P. James and Martha E. (Garman) James, and his former wife, Judy E. (Coll) James.

Besides his wife, he leaves behind his son Kurt James and wife Kimberly and their daughters Jessica and Elizabeth (Princeton, IN); his son Jeremy James and wife Andrea and their son Ethan and daughter McKenna (Danville, KY); step-children Christopher MacEacheron (Nashua, NH), Erin Hennessey (Plymouth, MA), Darby MacEacheron (Westfield, NJ), and Tracy Arnold (Merrimack, NH), and their families; his sister Darleen Hildebrandt and husband Peter (Riva, MD), his sister Deborah Henderson and husband Tom (Carlisle, PA), and their families.

In lieu of flowers, memorials gifts may be made to Home Health & Hospice Care, 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH 03054, or online at https://www.hhhc.org/how-to-help/memorial-gifts.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, September 13, 2021, at Gate City Church, 43 Main Street, Nashua, NH. (Parking is available behind the church on Franklin Street.)