Nicholas James Gentile, born October 2, 1941, passed away the morning of Halloween; almost a month past his 85th birthday. Born in Binghamton, NY to Edmundo and Stephanie Gentile, Jim was the middle child and since his little league days loved the game of baseball.
Jim graduated from North High in 1959 and attended Cortland State. He married Joyce Marie (Viskocil) in 1965 and they have one daughter, Terrie (Gentile) Wehse. He worked at IBM for 25 years and umpired baseball, with the Endicott Chapter , for close to 35 years: from softball Rec leagues to the college level ; and he truly enjoyed spending one week in Cooperstown at the Dreams Park: umpiring and meeting baseball folks from all over the country.
Maine Endwell High School was also a recipient of Jim’s love of sports. Since the 1970s Jim was involved with football team breakfasts, working the chains at home football games, announcing football, basketball and wrestling matches.
Being a diehard NY sports fan (Yankees, Giants) certainly had it’s ups and downs. Jim hung on to those Yankees, and was able to get to the new stadium before his travel days were over.
Jim was a member of the Church of the Holy Family and called himself lucky to be a part of a most close knit neighborhood in Endwell NY. The families of the 1970s in this corner of the town were a free flow of kids, golf tee times, progressive dinner parties , card games and a whole lot of love and laughter. We imagine someone is paging Jimmy in heaven as they did on golf trips to South Carolina.
Jim is survived by his brother: Edward (Sue) Gentile and his sister Joyce Conoran (Bill Kane) and many nieces and nephews and their families; his wife Joyce and their daughter Terrie. Jim has two grandson’s Alec (Ginger) Wehse and Ethan Wehse and always extra loved his grandogs.
Special thank you to Tom Brazill and Lou Castellucci for your help in the past month that have not been so easy as Jim battled with Parkinson’s disease.
Services will be held on Wednesday, November 4th at Church of the Holy Family in Endwell, NY. Calling hours are from 9:30am-11am, with a mass starting at 11am. Private burial will follow at a later date.
In lieu of gifts, please donate to Mercy House www.mercyhousesoutherntier.com supported by Jim and Joyce since its inception or T-Up Vision Inc www.t-up-vision.org (Jim’s daughter’s nonprofit)