Those in Wellesley and beyond are mourning the passing of James N. Marcotte, a Wellesley resident and home renovator/remodeler whose talents were on display everywhere from the PBS series This Old House to the Wellesley Historical Society’s buildings. Marcotte, who was 61, passed away on May 19 after being stricken with AML Leukemia and complications.
I got to know Jim over the past 3 years as a fellow Wellesley Historical Society board member, both at at our meetings and fundraisers. He always greeted me as though we’d known each other forever, and I enjoyed hearing his stories about his place in Vermont, his skiing exploits and his pets. His passion for leading the Historical Society’s efforts to refurbish the Stanwood House at 323 Washington St., to use as its new headquarters was truly remarkable. I don’t know anything about anything when it comes to such matters, but Jim always explained the ins and outs of what was involved in everything from paint colors to ADA compliance to the finer points of construction with equal clarity and enthusiasm. What’s more, Jim and his wife Kimberlee Dow spearheaded the Society’s scholarship program, which since 2008 has awarded 22 scholarships to graduating Wellesley High School seniors.
According to an online obituary posted here, Jim and his wife’s Dovercraft Construction operated in Wellesley for over 40 years. Jim served in assorted leadership roles in his industry and gained some fame when in 1981 when Dovercraft was hired to restore the Bigelow house in Newton for the PBS series This Old House.
A service to celebrate his life will be held at the Wellesley Universalist Unitarian Church 309 Washington St, Wellesley Hills at 1 pm on Thursday, June 8.
A fund has been established to benefit the EM NARI Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made to the James Marcotte Fund c/o Boston Private Bank 336 Washington Street, Wellesley MA 02481. Donations may also be sent to Dana Farber Cancer Institute; DFCI Adult Leukemia Research Fund Attn: Dr Eric Winer Hematologic Malignancies Division Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.
