James B. Kane
February 25, 1948 ~ December 26, 2016
South Portland - James B. Kane, age 68, passed away peacefully on December 26, 2016, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, Scarborough, ME.
Our brother, uncle and friend was born February 26, 1948, in Portland, Maine, son of the late Vincent T. and Mary Kane. His survivors are: brother, Thomas Kane and his partner Judith Lyons; sister, Mary Kane Knox and her husband Fred; his treasured nephew, Ethan and his wife Tracy; namesake nephew, Jimmy; nieces, Anne, and Jennifer and her husband Danny; and grandnephew Quint. In recent years Jim enjoyed watching his grandniece and nephew, Maia and Mason, thrive and grow.
Jim was a licensed clinical social worker in many capacities for forty years, but his true love was working with students and their families at the Spurwink Cummings School where he was a dedicated employee for 25 years. Jim went above and beyond for the kids he worked with and was a memorable, positive experience in many of their lives. Several of Jim's students sought him out after they had left the school to thank him for his support, and many of them checked in with him frequently to tell him how they were doing, right up to his retirement in 2014. He also left a lasting impression on the many staff that he worked with day in and day out during his tenure at the school.
Jim also had a lifelong affinity for the game of golf, caddying when he was young and playing throughout the summers. His retirement years found him frequently teeing up with friends and astonishing them with his remarkable ability to remember club selections and yardages from games past. Jim was able to cite histories and statistics which would have impressed even veteran golf commentators.
Wishing him peace and comfort as he enters into the Kingdom, and good luck on the next tee.
Jim's family would appreciate hearing any stories or memories you have for him on Jim's memorial page at www.ConroyTullyWalker.com. Arrangements were privately and respectfully made by Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland.
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R.I.P.
– Sonny McAlpin
Tom, I am very sorry to hear of your brother’s death. You, me, and Charlie Niles were always hanging out together in the old West End neighborhood, and Jimmy was always near by. but when we all graduated from Saint Dominic School, we all seem to lost touch with each other.
The funniest thing I remember about Jimmy was his nickname: “GREEN GRASS” . Being a slow learner, I always thought it was his real first name.. This nickname most likely must have stuck with him. being a golfer. If I remember correctly, he got that nickname because he always was chewing on a blade of grass. I hope this little memory brings a smile to your face.
If you want to talk sometime, you know where to find me.
Again, I am truly sorry for your lost.
Dave Kearns
– DAVID M. KEARNS
Please accept our deepest condolences from all of Jim’s friends at Spurwink. Jim’s legacy lives on in the lives he shaped throughout Maine and New England. Jim had a profound impact on the lives of the children he worked with, the families he guided and the staff who so appreciated him as a friend and colleague. We were all much richer for knowing and working with Jim.
Sincerely
Eric
Eric Meyer
President and CEO
Spurwink Services
– Eric Meyer, President & CEO, Spurwink Services
Dan Bonior danbonior@yahoo.com Talk about being out of the loop, I just now saw Jim’s obituary on the funeral home web site. This explains why I haven’t received Christmas cards from him for a few years now. What a flood of memories! Jim and I played golf all over southern Maine for over 20 years, and as a result I have 20 years of golf stories. The bottom line for those stories is I couldn’t beat him, maybe a couple times. We played in the days when your could play all day, so we had many 10 hour, 36 or 45 hole marathons. Jim kept getting better the more times we circled the course. I also knew him to be a fierce child advocate back when he worked as a social worker for the Peoples Regional Opportunity Program. He always got to the bottom of what was going on with our Head Start families, he knew what was important to them, and he knew how to get appropriate services and support. There are countless individuals whose lives Jim touched. Jim’s story telling was legendary, I still muse about how Jim would relate the facts and background of people and events. No subject was off limits. Tom, my wife Sue and I are deeply saddened to hear about Jim’s passing. Even though we’re a few years out of touch it’s going to be long mourning period where we will be thinking and talking about him. Dan and Sue Bonior
– Dan Bonior
It has been such a long time and I am so glad to be with you. How are you?
Peace
Chess
A bow.
A neighbor.
A blessing.
The light of one single candle and all the darkness
To look inside for strength
To the point