James R. Wall

JAMES R. WALL

HORNELL-James R. Wall, 70, passed away peacefully Sunday afternoon (Jan. 13, 2008), in the presence of his loving family, at his home at 50 Glen Ave.
Born in Norway, Mich. On Oct. 2, 1937, he was a son of the late August and Cecilia Ducharme Wall. On Aug. 22, 1959, he was married at St. Ann’s Church in Hornell to the former Kathryn “Kay” Dean, who survives.
A graduate of Norway (Mich.) High School, Jim served with the U.S. Coast Guard from 1956 to 1960 patrolling the seas between Hawaii and Japan.
He has resided in Hornell since 1960 and was employed as part-owner of the former Mason Business Equipment Supply Company in Almond before becoming employed with CBN in Ithaca as a business manager of five radio stations in the Northeast. He was also associated with multiple Christian radio stations across the United States before he began his 25 years of employment with Cram Communications in Syracuse as station manager. After his retirement in 2006 he continued to be their consulting manager.
Jim was a very active member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and was a communicant of St. Ann’s Church where he served as the first Eucharistic Minister and for many years volunteered taping the weekend Mass for shut-ins. He was also a religious education teacher, a member of St. Ann’s School Parents Association, a member of the Perpetual Adoration Chapel and a member of Cursillo.
A member and past-president of the Full Gospel Businessmen Assoc., he was also a member of the Young Businessmen Assoc., the Hornell Exchange Club and served as commissioner for the Boy Scouts of Steuben County. He served as coach for Cinderella Softball, the Grasshopper Little League and for T-ball. Also, he volunteered at the Hornell Family YMCA as a coach for Biddy Basketball, the Sunday School League and boxing training. In 1953 and 1954 he was the Golden Glove Boxing Champion in Wisconsin.
Jim was a Syracuse and Green Bay fan and was also an avid runner and had participated in various races.
In 2005 he was the very proud recipient of the Adult Deaf Person of the Year Award that he received from Aurora Central New York, Inc. for outstanding personal achievement.
He will be remembered most of all for being a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and brother. The times he enjoyed the most were the times he spent with his family.
His family includes his wife of nearly 49 years, Kay; his six children, Rev. Gus Wall, SVD, pastor of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana, Peter (Lisa) Wall of Canisteo, Thomas (Rose) Wall of Hornell, Mary Beth (David) Lindeman of North Hornell, Monica (Donald) Capluzzi of Hornell and Andrew James Wall also of Hornell; his 12 grandchildren, Kathryn, Nicholas, Jedidiah, Benjamin, Matthew, Alex, Olivia, Adam, Vinny, Ashley, Joey and Cecilia; his two sisters, Loma McConnell of Orlando, Fla., and Elizabeth (Terry) Carr of San Antonio, Tx.; his brother, William (Judith) Wall of Midland, Mich.; also nieces, nephews and cousins.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his grandson, Zachary Wall in 1987.
To honor his wishes there will be no calling hours. Friends are invited to meet his family at St. Ann’s Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by his son, Rev. Gus Wall at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Committal prayers and interment, with military honors, will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, town of Fremont.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in his memory to either, St. Ann’s School Memorial Fund, 27 Erie Ave., Hornell, NY 14843, to the Society of the Divine Word, Southern Province, 199 Seminary Drive, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 or to Southern Tier Hospice, 11751 East Corning Road, Corning, NY 14830.
Arrangements are with the Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc., 285 Main St., Hornell.