James Edward Wightman
James Edward Wightman
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James Wightman Obituary
He is survived by his son Craig E. Wightman and his wife Jennifer (Guillo) of Douglas, MA; their children, Nathan and Avery Wightman also of Douglas; his daughter-in-law and Mark's former wife, Sara Kavanagh-Mulligan Wightman; their children, Taylor, Colin, and Kelly Wightman; his brother-in-law Maurice Harding of Princeton, NJ and his wife Iona Harding; his nephews, Justin Harding of Hawaii, and Jason Harding of New Jersey. He was predeceased by his son Mark James Wightman in 2020, and his sister Patricia Harding in 1993.
Born in Royalton, NY on February 12, 1934 James was the son of Percy Owen Wightman and Lucy (Roberts) Wightman and grew up in Lockport, NY with his younger sister Patty. He was a graduate of DeSales Catholic School in Lockport and furthered his education attaining a Master's degree in Education from Buffalo State University.
After his graduating, Jim proudly served in the U.S. Army for 3 years as a supply sergeant and was honorably discharged.
Jim got his first teaching job in upstate New York, then he made his way to Long Island to be the Intermediate School Art teacher in Southampton, NY where he worked 30+ years until his retirement. In 1963, he married his former wife Ann Bishop and had his sons Mark in 1969 and Craig in 1972.
James was an active member of the Southampton Artists Association, and of the North Sea Gun Club. He was an avid supporter of the National Rifle Association. Passionate about children and their extracurricular activities, Jim created the East End Kids Wrestling program. He spent many summers on the Art Barge in Amagansett, NY, and enjoyed researching his family genealogy. Due to health reasons he moved to Massachusetts in October of 2020, and had been a resident of Whitney Place in Westborough the past few years.
James's private burial will take place in Southampton, NY. A celebration of his life is being planned and will be held in Southampton, NY at a TBD date. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
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2 Entries
Susan Rumph
August 7, 2025
When I first moved to Southampton as a young teacher, Jim and Ann became my friends quickly. Jim would invite myself and others to his close and convenient home for a quick lunch before our 40 minute free period was over. Jim as an art teacher and me as a music teacher allowed us a common bond through the fine arts at the Intermediate school. We often could chat the time away on our schools direction and need for more attention to these important programs. We had plenty to be thankful for but through our perseverance and hard work, we kept the programs on target. Yes, Jim was an incredible mentor.
My teacher friends and I had the privilege of having lunch with Jim during his last few weeks here in Southampton. It was a hard goodbye. We managed to stay in touch afterwards but that connection slipped away as well.
Jim was a great friend and colleague. He'll always have a close spot near my heart. When I pass the Art Barge or Cultural Arts Center or Lewis St, I often think of Jim and his ingrained existence both in art and other community driven activities here in Southampton.
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7 Mechanic St., Douglas, MA 01516
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