James L. Mulcahy, Jr., 74, husband of Dorothy P. (White) Mulcahy of Main Street, Essex died Monday, February 22, 2016 in the Hathorne Hill Healthcare Center, Danvers following his long illness.

Born in Gloucester August 2, 1942, son of the late James L. and Lucy E. (Oliver) Mulcahy, he was raised in Essex and was a 1959 graduate of Gloucester High School. He continued his education at University of Massachusetts graduating in 1961 with a B.A. in poultry science. He went on to manage Hardy’s Hatchery for the next ten years. For forty-seven years, Jim proudly served on the Essex Fire Department. During many of these years, he was second in command of the department from which he retired in 2006. He was also a member of FEMA.  He served in the Army Reserves from 1964 until he was honorably discharged in 1970 as a Staff Sergeant. For thirty-four years, he was also employed as a service technician for New England Telephone and later for Verizon from which he retired in 2004. To this day, the technicians at the Danvers garage refer to him as "The Legend" still finding notes on telephone poles & boxes throughout Cape Ann and North Shore areas to aid in troubleshooting problems. Jim volunteered for over twenty years at the Topsfield Fair hatching baby chicks. He was a fifty year member of the Grange, a member of Essex County Chief’s Association, a Life Member of the Essex County Fire Warden’s Association, a Life Member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, a member of the American Legion Post #0231, and served as President of the Board of Directors on both the North Shore Skating Club and Chaval Figure Skating Club of Essex in the early 1980’s. In addition to his family, work, clubs and organizations, Jim enjoyed the time he spent on the water. Some of his favorite trips were heading down the Essex River (with a full tank of gas and all hoses connected) to the back side of Cranes, tuna fishing with Mimi and Donny, and going with the guys up to Maynard’s on Moosehead Lake in Maine and in later years heading there with his two daughters to try to catch “the big one”. He also enjoyed gardening and animal husbandry, and cherished his life with family and friends.

In addition to his wife Dorothy of forty-nine years, he is survived by two daughters, Rebecca Mulcahy and her companion, Ronald MacIntyre  of Essex, and Tricia O’Donnell and her husband Brian of Ipswich; two grandchildren, Finnegan James and Emma Lucy O’Donnell both of Ipswich; a brother, David E. Mulcahy and his companion, Carla Sweeney of Villages, FL; a sister-in-law, Barbara A. Adams of Topsfield; a niece who was like a daughter, Kendra Berube; a cousin who was like a sister, Emily Kangas and her husband, Donny, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. The Mulcahy Family would like to make a special note of appreciation to Care Dimensions and Hathorne Hill Healthcare for the extraordinary care they provided for Jim.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 am Friday in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 52 Main Street, Essex, followed by interment in the Spring Street Cemetery, Essex. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in his name may be made to Essex Fire Company Equipment Fund, 24 Martin Street, Essex, MA 01929, Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Ste. B102, Danvers, MA 01923, St John the Baptist Church, 52 Main Street, Essex MA 01929 or a charity of one’s choice.