James Edward Barrett died on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He turned 79 years old on Nov. 22.

Jim was the second son of Ernest O. and Mary (Canha) Barrett. He attended Tisbury School and then entered the Navy in 1959. After leaving the Navy, he lived and worked as a waiter for the food procession at Fenway Park and at other restaurants in Boston. Boston is where he met J. Edwin Dull, who became his best friend and they spent the rest of their lives together.

In 1975 Jim and Ed returned to the Island permanently and lived in Chilmark. Jim worked for many restaurants, including the Harbor View, the Dunes (Winnetu) and L’Etoile, and also did cooking for private people. He enjoyed his family and always made special dinners and desserts, apple pie and cherry pie. His nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews also enjoyed special birthday cakes, such as trains, dolls, later jellies, merry-go-rounds and lambs.

He was predeceased his partner of 42 years, J. Edwin Dull. He is survived by his brother Ernest O. Barrett Jr. and wife Lucinda of Vineyard Haven; Ernest’s children Wayne Barrett and his wife Nadine of Oak Bluffs and their children Rachel Perry, Elise Ray and Morgan Alwardt; Donald Barrett of Vineyard Haven and his daughter Megan; Ann Marie (Barrett) and her husband Joseph Cywinski of Oak Bluffs and their son Joey Jr.; and Alison Barrett and her husband Jesse Oliver of West Tisbury and their children Jacob and Kayla; his brother Edmund Barrett and his wife Catherine Deese of Chilmark; his sister Marie and her husband Stan Mercer of Chilmark; Marie’s children Elizabeth Oliver and Stephen Seward; his aunt Virginia Lima Oliveira of New Bedford and many cousins.

A graveside service will be announced at a later date.