Born: June 02, 1921

Died: December 01, 2011

Services: Services will be Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in New Middletown, OH.

Visitation: Friends may call on Monday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Clemente Funeral Home in New Middletown.

New Middletown -James E. Lavelle, Sr., 90, died on Thursday Dec. 1, 2011 at St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center. He died peacefully after a short period of illness. James was born on June 2, 1921 in Cleveland to Stephen Lavelle, Sr. and Katherne Loftus Lavelle. He was the eldest of their seven children, Kathleen Sis Hodges, Stephen M. Lavelle, Jr., Mary Lou Cahill, Betty Jane Lavelle, Naomi Gordon and Rita Noreen Lavelle. Betty Jane is the sole survivor. He graduated from Struthers High School in June of 1940. After high school, James joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). one of President Roosevelt's New Deal programs designed to put young men to work during the Great Depression, James was sent to Idaho to build roads and spoke reverently of the time spent as a young man working in and around the beautiful country and the Rocky Mountains. James returned to Struthers and worked at a variety of jobs until the outbreak of World War II. He eventually took a job at Republic Steel and became a foreman. In 1945 he met a young woman working in the office at Republic named Loretta McGarry. He courted her for six years before she agreed to marry him on November 22, 1951. The were married on thanksgiving Day at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown. they were together every day until her death on January 11, 2011. that union produced four sons, James Lavelle, Jr. of St. Augustine, Fla., the late Christopher Lavelle (Evelyn) of Boise, Idaho, the late Gregory Lavelle of New Middletown and Mark Lavelle of New Middletown. James is also survived by his grandson, Christopher Lavelle, Jr. of Boise City and nine granddaughters, Kerry Lavelle, Angela Lavelle, Caitlin Lavelle and Maureen Lavelle of Boise City, Mollie Lavelle Kisselburg (Casey) of Chicago, Emily Lavelle ad Lauren Lavelle of New York City and Hannah Lavelle and Liberty Lavelle of Poland. James retired from the U.S. Postal Service as a rural letter carrier in 1987. He previously drove truck for Loblaw's Grocery Stores in Youngstown. After he retired from the Postal Service, he operated Buckeye Taxi and Transportation in Warren until 1955. He enjoyed robust health for most of his years and was white water rafting on the Snake Rived in Idaho on his 80th birthday. James was a quiet man devoted to his wife and his family. As a child of the depression , he believed in the dignity of hard work. He took immense pride in the fact that his four sons all graduated from college because of opportunity that he provided. He never had such an opportunity himself. Despite his quiet nature, he had a wonderful sense of humor and was a practical joker himself. He will be missed.

Memorials: Family requests that any material tributes be in the form of memorial contributions to: United Negro College Fund http://www.uncf.org for information.

Cemetery: Calvary Cemetery (Map)

Location: Clemente Funeral Home, New Middletown (Map)

Church: St. Paul The Apostle Catholic Church (Map)