James Kenneth Dixon Jr. of Short Hills, N.J., and Edgartown died at his home in N.J. on May 31. He was 81.

He was born on Sept. 7, 1939 in New York city and raised in Greenwich, Conn. The son of Kenneth and Helene Dixon, he graduated from the Kent School in 1957 and from Brown University in 1961. He received his MBA from Columbia University in 1963.

Jim started in the Lord & Taylor executive training program after receiving his MBA. He held various management positions with retailers including Bonwit Teller, Burberry and Bambergers. At age 50, he made a career change and joined Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor in their private client area. He was at Merrill for 20 years before moving to UBS, from which he retired in 2017.

He had a lifelong passion for the sea and sailing. He was an active member of the Holmes Hole Sailing Association and Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. From May to October he could be found racing his beloved sailboat At Last around the Vineyard. He loved recounting stories to his family about his most recent racing wins or lamenting the days when the wind didn’t cooperate.

His other passion was spending time with his wife, children and granddaughters. He enjoyed going for bike rides to Morning Glory Farm, motorboat excursions and swims off his boat Dixieland in Cape Pogue and eating ice cream on the Edgartown harbor. He always had a smile on his face when watching his girls and listening to their constant chatter. He is survived by a loving sorority of the women in his life: his wife of 47 years, Donna; his three daughters and sons in law, Holly Prince, Jennifer Dixon and her husband Toby and Christine Schwartz and her husband Evan; five granddaughters, Isla, Ellie, Zoe, Hanna, and Louisa. He is also survived by his brothers Jonathan and Robert Dixon and their families.

Donations can be made to Sail Martha’s Vineyard (SailMV.org) or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (giving.mskcc.org).

Arrangements are under the care of Bradley, Brough & Dangler Funeral Home in Summit, N.J. To leave a message of condolence, go to www.bradleyfuneralhomes.com.