James Francis Auger
JAMES FRANCIS AUGER, 76
On Saturday evening, March 30, James Francis Auger of Zion Crossroads, passed away after complications from, and a long struggle with, Parkinson's Disease.
Preceding him in death are his parents, Francis and Martha (Doucette) Auger, of Atlanta, GA. Surviving are his beloved wife of nearly 30 years, Diana, and his stepdaughter KC Scott; sisters Janice M. Carroll (Michael) of Dublin, OH; Caroline M. Akers of Hiawassee, GA; Martha A. Brideau (Lawrence) of Hayesville, NC; much loved nieces and nephews, and many cousins and extended family.
Born on Halloween 1947 in Gardner, MA, James graduated from Gardner High School, attended Mount Wachusett Community College, and served in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in San Angelo, TX. Fulfilling a desire to complete his education, he then attended University of Massachusetts at Amherst and received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from University of Findlay in Ohio. James worked at RCA in Phoenix before becoming a longtime employee of Sprague, which later became Allegro MicroSystems, in Worcester, MA, where he was an engineering manager before taking an early retirement.
In 1994, when James and Diana Scott wed, he was gifted with a stepdaughter, KC, whom he loved as his own. After living for a decade in the hillside home the couple built in Sterling, MA, with long views nearly reaching Boston, they moved to Tennessee. In rural Greenback for nearly eight years, James especially savored a glass of wine while enjoying their Great Smoky Mountains vista and Angus cattle in adjoining meadows. A final happy move in 2016 took them to Virginia and the Spring Creek community.
During his military service, James honed his use of the cue stick and was somewhat of a pool shark. Through the years, James had been on various pool teams, often as the house's highest ranking player. He discovered an affinity for teaching the game and did so privately using his 9-foot-professional table, having trained and earned status as Billiard Congress of America Advanced Instructor for pocket billiards, as well as certification as an American CueSports Alliance Instructor/Coach. He achieved all this despite having Dupuytren's Contracture in both hands.
When he wasn't voraciously reading novels, biographies and books about history, or playing a round of golf, James loved the challenges of contract bridge. He belonged to the Jefferson Bridge Association in Charlottesville, where he attained his goal of becoming a Life Master and achieved Bronze status in 2018. He would have been able to continue to the next step, had Parkinson's not made inroads on his health.
Friends are invited to visit with the family from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 5, at Teague Funeral Home, 2260 Ivy Road, Charlottesville. An Interment ceremony in the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, Winchendon, MA, will be held later this month.
Gratitude is extended to FirstLight Home Care and to Hospice of the Piedmont for its support, particularly to Tammy Amirez, Tova Cohen and Valerie Londree. Please consider donating to Hospice of the Piedmont or The P.A.R.C. (Parkinson’s Activity and Resource Center), both nonprofits, in lieu of flowers.
