James Hassett

James “Jim” Robert Hassett, 86, of Creamer Road, died peacefully March 20, 2024, in the dream home he and his wife, Mary Lois (Lindenmayer) Hassett, built in 1998.

Jim was born July 7, 1937 and while he often entertained us with stories of the antics he got into with his brothers and sisters growing up and his stories of working at Dan’s Dogs out at Geneva on the Lake, you would have thought he didn’t really start living until that day in the fall of 1954 at Harbor High School when he spotted what he always described as the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was wearing a blue corduroy jumper with a full skirt and was sitting four rows over and two rows back and he fell instantly in love. Later that day his good buddy, Vince Grippe, introduced him to her right before she had to go to majorette practice, and he headed to football practice. That quick introduction led to a true love story that started with high school dances and led to a long marriage, three children, eight grandchildren, and several great grandchildren. Jim served in the Air Force immediately after high school graduation and was proud of the work he did on Boeing KC-C135 Stratotankers in Seattle, Washington, and Boeing B-52’s in Springfield, Massachusetts at Westover Air Force Base. After serving his country he went on to attend The Ohio State University. Jim worked several jobs in Columbus, Ohio to support his young family, including being a driving instructor and Fuller Brush man. He was proud of the fact that they always gave him the “really bad” drivers at the school and that he never had anyone fail. His children can confirm that while he may not have been the most encouraging driving instructor as his foot stepped on the imaginary brake pedal and he gripped the Jesus handle while he was teaching all of us, that his teaching techniques were effective, and we are all good drivers! Jim could also be quite the talker and charmer when he was selling the Fuller Brush products door to door and while he moved on from that career, the burnt orange Fuller Brush broom he used as a sampler is still being used by his daughter to sweep her kitchen floors! Jim and Mary had their first two children in Columbus, Ohio and then moved back to Ashtabula, Ohio where he started working at the Hannah Mining coal docks. He worked there until he retired and moved to Cape Coral, Florida where he and Mary bought a small manufacturing company, Tropix Marble Company, in 1987. Jim successfully owned and operated Tropix Marble Company until 1998 when he retired (again!) and watched proudly as his son, Sean, took over the business. Jim and Mary designed and built their retirement home in Kingsville, Ohio and lived the rest of their lives there. Jim was a member of the Elks, the NRA and prided himself on donating to many various charitable organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, St. Jude’s, Tunnels to Towers, Shriner’s Hospital for Children and Boys Town. He enjoyed poker nights and golfing with his brothers back in the day, sailing on his boat The Irish Mist, driving around in his 1967 cherry red convertible Mustang, all things Ohio State (just ask his brother Joe how many times they talked during any Buckeyes sporting event) , talking about politics with anyone (especially his sister, Bunny), guns, coin collecting, feeding and watching his hummingbirds, eating Kate’s oatmeal cookies, and bragging about his grandchildren. He could fix anything that broke and when he was younger, he always had a project or two going in his garage. In the last years of his life, we had many conversations about what he was most proud of. Meeting and marrying the love of his life was top of the list along with raising, guiding, and watching his three children grow up happy and raise their own families.

Survivors include his children, Sean (Susie) Hassett of Cape Coral, Florida and Patti (Mike) Eickhoff of Akron, Ohio, his sisters Mary Margert “Bunny” (Jim) Zigmont, and Norma Jean (Carl) Wreesemen and brother Joseph P (Joy) Hassett; eight grandchildren, Shea and Shawn Dunne; Shelly, Shannon (Christian) Harville, Holly (Jesse) Partee and Heidi Hassett; Kate and Mikey Eickhoff, and several great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Mary Lois Hassett, in 2001; his first-born daughter, Cynthia “Syndi” Ann Dunne in 2011; his siblings: Elizabeth “Betty” Meaney, Patricia Bailey, Norman “Jack” Hassett, Thomas Hassett, Michael Hassett, and Sharon Kay Hassett.

A private celebration of life will be held in June at St. Joseph’s cemetery. We encourage everyone to remember Jim as they indulge in some ice cream (his favorites were rum raisin or vanilla with chocolate sauce and walnuts!) and spend time with your families. Maybe even hang up a hummingbird feeder or two in his memory.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of James Hassett, please visit our floral store.