NORTH ATTLEBORO- James R. Stack, age 85, a lifelong resident of North Attleboro, MA passed away on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at home with his loving family by his side. Born in Attleboro, MA on January 11, 1938, he graduated from North Attleboro High School in 1956 and began a career in construction and excavation. He started his own businesses, Stack Construction Company, Inc. and later Stack Excavation. Jim never really retired as he continued to own and operate his bulldozer, dump truck and backhoe out of his barn. Soon after graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Magnan and they started a family. Incredibly, they would have marked–and celebrated–65 years of marriage this June.
Often described as “one of a kind,” “a big personality, “a good guy,” Jim was always ready to lend a hand to a family member or a friend. He was proud of his strong work ethic and passed that trait on to his daughters and grandchildren. Jim valued honesty and strove to imbue his business dealings with this quality. He was playful and loved sharing jokes—often colorful—with many.
Jim loved the outdoors! He hunted, fished and skied well into his 70’s. Speaking of the ‘70’s, he could be easily spotted on slopes in his colorful vintage attire and work gloves swooshing down the mountain with a cigar in mouth! He loved teaching his grandchildren to ski and enjoyed many vacations with friends and family. Jim was passionate about quahogging in East Greenwich Bay and sharing quahogs with friends at Buttonwoods Campground, (Warwick RI) family at home and even with his doctors! He always enjoyed being around food. For many years Jim staffed the grill at North Attleboro Frontier Nights after constructing the huge bonfire. He was known for making meatballs which he shared with everyone. Jim was a man who created with his hands and built a second home in New Hampton NH (without blueprints!) with the help of friends and family. Finally, he loved animals-both wild and domesticated–and shared his home and former farm with dogs, cats and a few cows!
Beloved husband of Marilyn A. (Magnan) Stack, devoted father of Lynne Stack and her husband Andrew Maloney of Falmouth, MA; Maureen (Stack) Persak and her husband Gregory Persak, M.D. of Garden City, NY and cherished Papa of Carolyn Maloney and her partner Liuke Headley of Los Angeles, CA, James Maloney of Cambridge MA, Alexander Persak and his wife Camila (Klatsky) Persak of Darien, CT and Laura Persak and her fiancé Jack Kellerman of New York, NY. Jim was also predeceased by his first great-grandson Dawson James Persak.
Son of the late Mary (Nardelli) and Maurice Raymond Stack and son-in-law of the late Mildred (Tanner) and Raymond Magnan. He was the brother of the late Joan (Stack) and brother-in-law of the late Ferdinand Fecteau and the brother of the late Larry Stack and brother-in-law of Jean (Gray) Stack. He is predeceased by sister-in-law Joan (Rutledge) Stack, wife of Raymond Stack.
Jim also leaves behind brothers Steven Stack and Gail (Reynolds) Stack and Raymond L. Stack, many nieces and a nephew. He is survived by his sister-in-law Patricia (Murphy) Magnan whose husband, William Magnan passed away in January 2023.
His funeral service, to which relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend, will be held on Friday, April 28, 2023 at 11:00 AM in the Sperry & McHoul Funeral Home, 15 Grove Street, North Attleboro. Interment will follow the service in Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Attleboro Falls. Visitation will be held in the funeral home on Thursday, April 27, 2023 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.
To honor his love of animals and sharing food and, in lieu of flowers, the family asks to please consider making a gift to Lenore’s Pantry (attleborofallschurch.org) or the North Attleboro Animal Shelter (http://www.nashelter.org)