James H. Cleary died on Jan. 27 at Windemere Nursing Home, where he had been a resident since June of 2008. He was 81.

Known to his friends as Jim, he enjoyed a full life and was a lifelong summer resident of Oak Bluffs. He and his late wife Joanne honeymooned on the Island and longed to live there full time. On Jan. 27, 1972, Jim was able to make that a reality. He took a job at the Vineyard Haven post office and moved his family to the Island. His work life included 20 years in the post office, often supplemented with part-time jobs bartending at the Moonbeam, Edmund’s, the Dunes and annual stints at the local dog tracks.

Jim served in the Navy during World War II and was stationed as a prison guard at a camp on the island of Saipan. He was a lifetime member of the VFW and served as commander at Post 9261 on the Vineyard. Upon retirement Jim and Joanne became snowbirds, summering on the Vineyard and spending winters in Bonita Springs, Fla., where they enjoyed the warm weather and the wonderful new friends that they made.

Flags were flown at half-mast at all Island post offices on Wednesday, Jan. 28 in memory of Jim.

He was predeceased by his wife Joanne, parents James and Jenny Cleary and sister Jean Briggs. He is survived by his children and their spouses Janice and Richard Bowles, James H. Jr. and Maryellen, Joseph, Jeffrey and Noreen, Jeri Dube and Ray Rochon; eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral mass will be held Saturday Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea church in Oak Bluffs, with reception following at the VFW. A funeral at the O’Keefe-Wade Funeral Home, 70 Washington street in Taunton will be held on Monday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. followed by a mass of Christian burial in St. Andrew, formerly St. Paul’s Church, at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m.

Interment will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Taunton.

Arrangements are under the care of O’Keefe-Wade Funeral Home in Taunton.