UPTON, Mass. – James A. “Jim” Brochu, 61, a lifelong Upton resident, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, December 18. He is the beloved husband of Lisa M. (Stone) Brochu.
Born in Worcester, he was a son of the late Camil and Theresa (Fontaine) Brochu. He was raised and educated in Upton.
Jim has been employed as the director of facilities for Blackstone Valley Tech High School for fifteen years. His knowledge and love for facilities management led him to a career where he started at Hahnemann Hospital, Harvard Business School and ended with his employment at Valley Tech. BVT was special to him as a 1978 graduate in the electrical program and his career as the director of facilities. He loved his BVT family and all the kids he had seen come through the years.
He proudly served on the Upton Board of Selectmen for six years, and most recently chaired the community center project. In addition, he previously served on the Upton Fire and EMS Department as a firefighter-EMT and was a past president and member of the EMS Association, as well as many other Upton organizations.
Jim enjoyed people. His time with family and friends were his greatest joys in life. His time with his children was treasured. He looked forward to Thursday nights at the Wanokura restaurant with Lindsey and Danny and the group of friends he made.
He loved to spend time at the barn with Lindsey and his Sunday flea market excursions with Danny were the norm, and his annual weekend trip to Maine with his high school friends, lovingly known as the “six- pack,” where old times were relived, music played, and bonds deepened.
Also, family camping trips to Maine where he mostly enjoyed puttering around his campsite, playing games and making campfire breakfasts. He was known to always have the neatest and most groomed site amongst the group of fellow campers. At home in Upton, Jim was known to spontaneously gather his friends together for a night out where stories were commonly and repeatedly shared with his famous one-liners, his well-recognized laugh and his famous end of the night request for a “final, final”.
At an early age, he and his dad collected old bottles, which over the years progressed into a love for antiques and collectables. You could find Jim on any weekend driving through the Blackstone Valley searching for that special item, or as he would call it “one score”.
Jim was instrumental in bringing back the Brochu family reunions and the start of the Brochu golf tournament reuniting his Vermont family, lovingly known as the mountain men, and the Upton flatlanders. Everyone was together creating memorable moments to never be forgotten.
Besides his wife, he leaves his cherished children, Lindsey Brochu of Uxbridge, and Daniel Brochu of Upton; his brother, Robert Brochu and his wife Sandy, of Whitinsville, his nieces and nephews, Ryan Brochu, BJ Stone, Michelle Stone, Jennifer Stone, Michael Cofer, and Matthew Cofer; his mother-in-law, Susanne Stone of Northborough; and many cousins.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 29, in St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, 151 Mendon St. Upton. Burial will follow in Lakeview Cemetery, Upton.
Calling hours will be from 4 to 8 PM on Tuesday, December 28, in the Pickering & Son Upton Funeral Home, 45 Main St. Upton.
Facial coverings are required while inside the funeral home and church.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be sent to the Upton Fire & EMS Association Ambulance Fund, P.O. Box 1012, Upton, MA 01568; Upton Men’s Club, P.O. Box 93, Upton, MA 01568; or to the Upton Bloomer Girls, P.O. Box 121, Upton, MA 01568.The Pickering & Son Upton Funeral Home is honored to be assisting the Brochu family with arrangements (UptonFunerals.com).
