Bird, James Cooper, Age: 74, Rumson

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James Cooper Bird, 74, died peacefully at home on Monday, Feb, 15 surrounded by his family and loved ones. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Jim was a graduate of the Friends School in Baltimore, Mar yland, before attending Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts, when he met his beloved wife Jan Jones Bird (Jandy) of 49 years, who died in 2014. After college, Jim served in the United States Navy before embarking on a career in the insurance industry, working for Prudential and US Life.

Jim’s interest and abilities with personal computers led to a second career in technology, and mid-life he started up his own computer software company.

Jim was a devoted Episcopalian, active in St. George’s-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson, where he resided for 37 years. After retiring together with Jandy in 2003, they moved to Sanibel, Florida, where he served St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in many capacities.

Jim also believed strongly in community service and served on numerous boards and associations in various capacities throughout his life.

Always an athlete, Jim was inducted into the Friends School Athletic Hall of Fame in May 2014 for lettering in varsity lacrosse, football, and wrestling, and he was an avid tennis player all his life.

Jim was a prolific watercolor artist and had served on the board of the Sanibel Captiva Art League. He painted many commissioned works including portraits, homes, and places of interest in and around the island. Jim also spent many hours playing the guitar, practicing arrangements he wrote himself and delighting his children and grandchildren with his love of music.

Jim is survived by his two daughters, Marley Bird Maiers and her husband John of Hilton Head Island and Laurie Bird Bratone and her husband Paul; and three grandchildren, James, Julia and Sophia of Fair Haven.

As Jim was a lover of the arts and prolific watercolor artist himself, dona- tions in his memory may be made to the Sanibel Captiva Art League, PO Box 1192, Sanibel, FL 33957.