James Albert Cameron

November 3, 1940 - December 31, 2024

James “Jim” A. Cameron was born in Boston in 1940 to the late Roy and Rose Cameron (nee McCann). Though he spent the last 30 years in Greenacres, FL he was raised in Hyde Park and then Hough’s Neck Quincy, MA. Jim began his education at Saint Mary’s School in Hyde Park where it quickly became evident that he and his beloved younger brother Eddie would spend many days in detention. Once his family moved to Quincy his love for the ocean was born. He spent many warm summer days at Harvey’s Boat Yard and Perry Beach. He decided in his senior year that Boot Camp at Parris Island South Carolina would be easier than continuing to live at home, so, in 1958 he joined the United States Marine Corps. Over the next 8 years, he was stationed on various aircraft carriers and locations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and California. The next chapter of his life began in Philadelphia which he always lovingly referred to as “filth-a-delphia.” There he married Dorothy A. Cameron and started a family. His oldest daughter Dorothy was born in 1969, and his daughter Tricia was born in 1971. In 1978 he moved back to Hough’s Neck with his family. There he found a great deal of enjoyment on both sides of the bar at the Quincy Yacht Club where he tended bar and became Commodore in 1987. As Commodore, he could wear a fancy suit again like he did in the Marine Corps. In 1989 he moved to Greenacres, FL. He was elected President of the Condo Association board, where he took the rules very seriously. During this period, he met, and married Rose Zalinger and they spent several happy years together before she passed away in 2014. He enjoyed the sunshine in Florida and could not understand why everyone would not “come on down.”

This last year of Jim’s life has been among the most colorful. In June of 2022, Jim found out he had a daughter he was unaware of, who had been born in California in 1967. His quest for a son had been foiled yet again. She then quickly became his “# 1 daughter.” They forged a great bond, and she has become an important part of his family.

Jim could fix anything with a zip tie, super glue, and/or duct tape and believed that any day was a good day as long as he had a box of Cheez-Its. He was known for his sense of humor which is what decided the tone of this obituary and we hope that it made you smile. He was loved dearly and will be missed by his friends and family but stories of his never-ending sarcasm and misadventures will live forever.

Jim is survived by his daughters Cookie Salgado Cameron of Alameda, CA, Dorothy Cameron of Whitman, MA, and Tricia Cameron O’Brien of Whitman, MA, his sister Mary MacIntire and her husband Paul of Cape Cod, his brother Edward Cameron of Greenacres, FL, his sister Margaret Violette of Brooksville, FL, and his sister Rose Cameron of Quincy. He is preceded in death by his brother Byard Cameron and his wife Vera of Thousand Oaks, CA and his brother Ralph and his wife Patricia of Thousand Oak, CA. He is also survived by his grandchildren Casey Rose O’Brien of Whitman, MA, Michael James of San Francisco, CA, Heather Hanks of Lafayette, LA, and Katie King of Austin, TX. A memorial service will be held for Jim on Monday, January 27, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. at the chapel of the National Cemetery in Bourne, Connery Ave., Buzzards Bay, MA. We ask that instead of flowers, the next time you are in a restaurant, ask your server if they “accept Hawaiian money” and think of Jim’s infectious laugh and smile.