James LaBarck, Sr. age 87 passed peacefully on Sunday, December 7, 2014.

He was born and raised in the Riverside Section of Paterson where the family lived in a three family home on River Street just in front of Joe Ordini’s store. Before becoming Joe Ordini’s store the building housed a bowling alley where James set bowling pins and his twin brother would send the balls back to the bowler.

When James was eighteen he was drafted into the United States Army where he served in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Italy with the 3rd and 9th divisions. He held five driver’s license as the Army required a special license for each different vehicle he drove. He would recount to family and friends how he drove prisoners of war from camp to camp in Europe and sent his military pay home to help his family with their bills. James was honorably discharged on November 16, 1946 and received the Army of Occupation Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

After James’ service he found work in the thriving textile mills in Paterson. His first job was at a coat factory in Paterson where he worked for 42 cents per hour. James saved every penny he could and eventually bought a 1935 Dodge Coupe. He also worked on a textile assembly line and eventually worked his way up to being a textile machinery mechanic. He worked seven days a week for twenty years and then six days a week for another fifteen years. He was a member of the Dyers Local 1733 in Paterson before retiring from Zenith Dye and Finishing on 2nd Avenue in Paterson.

During his years in the textile industry he worked at the Fair Lawn Finishing Company where he met a cute girl named Jennie Pirone. On what would be considered their first date they walked across the Maple Avenue bridge to Johnny & Hanges for a hot dog. James had a special place in his heart for Johnny & Hanges as in his younger years he went to their grand opening with 5 cents, earned shinning shoes, in his pocket and the hot dogs were 10 cents. The counter man gave him the hot dog and took his 5 cents as payment in full. James and Jennie married on November 22, 1953 at Blessed Sacrament RC Church, Paterson. James twin brother Johnny was his Best Man and Jennie’s sister Mary was her Maid of Honor. The honeymooned at Mount Airy Lodge in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains They did just about everything together; Jennie relied on James to get around as she never got her driver’s license. It seems several attempts at parallel parking kept her from getting behind the wheel. They enjoyed fifty-two years of a loving and caring marriage before Jennie’s passing in 2005.

In 1957 James had a home built in Wayne and used the last dollar in his pocket to buy a rake to smooth out the front yard. For many years he cut lawns in Franklin Lakes and did odd jobs to help pay for the house.

James will be remembered as a sociable, outgoing, jokester, who was dedicated to his family. He enjoyed bowling in the Textile Bowling League at the Bowl-A-Mat in Paterson, often could be found on East 18th Street hanging with the guys at the shoemakers shop, again hanging with the boys at the Riverside Vets, and in more recent years meeting the crew for coffee at the McDonald’s on Hamburg Turnpike in Wayne. His lifelong love of animals, especially dogs, started with his Fox Terrier “Spotty.”

He was the loving husband of the late Jennie (Pirone) LaBarck (2005); much loved father of James LaBarck and his wife Theresa of Wayne; cherished grandfather of James Thomas LaBarck, Sharen Sullivan and her husband Thomas, and Renee Mucci and her husband Adam; devoted great grandfather of Alyssa and TJ Sullivan, and Justin and Marissa Mucci; dear brother of the late Anthony, Emilio, Minnie, Johnny (his twin), Tony, Paul, Anna, and Antoinette.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.