James F. "Jim" Driscoll, 86, a prominent Melrose resident, died on Thursday December 23rd at his home, surrounded by his devoted family. He was the oldest son in a family of 10 children, and he and his wife Barbara Shea Driscoll, formerly of Malden, were married for 52 years before her death in January, 2005. They were blessed with six children and 11 grandchildren. Driscoll was born in Westfield in 1924, the son of J. Frank and Mary (Fallon) Driscoll. In his early years the family lived in Springfield, MA then pulled up stakes and, traveling by cruise ship through the Panama Canal, moved to Glendale, California. When the Depression set in, the family, parents and seven children drove across country by (temperamental) automobile in 1933, settling in Melrose a year later. Directly following graduation from Melrose High in 1942, Driscoll served for three years in the US Navy Amphibious Corps during World War II, as pilot of a Landing Craft Tank (LCT) in the Italy-France areas, including Anzio Beach, and participated in the invasions of the Island of Elba and Southern France. After the war he attended Boston College, graduating in 1951. A Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) for the John Hancock Insurance Company, he worked for 33 years in market research and sales planning, retiring as Director of Market Research. Driscoll was best known in his retirement years for leading several fundraising efforts, notably on behalf of the Melrose Chamber of Commerce, Melrose YMCA and the Milano Senior Center. He served on the Council on Aging board for 13 years and headed two major campaigns to renovate and expand the Milano Senior Center. In 1996 Jim helped facilitate (with his brother Jack) the startup of the Melrose Mirror, one of the first citizens' group websites in the world. He was a parishioner of St. Mary's of the Annunciation Church in Melrose. The great loves of Jim's life were his beautiful wife Barbara, his children and their families, his large extended family, and the people of the City of Melrose. Driscoll was the devoted father and father-in-law of Sheila Driscoll and Cliff Brown of Melrose and Madrid, ME, Colleen and Scott Kinder of Needham, Jeff and Margaret Driscoll of Melrose, Jack and Marion Driscoll of Cromwell, CT, Gail and Michael Burati of Chelmsford, and Julie and Fran Nolan of Melrose. Loving grandfather of Ryan and Elizabeth Kinder; John Peter, Andrew, and Claire Driscoll; Alyssa and Ashley Driscoll; Dylan and Marissa Burati; and Frankie and Danny Nolan. He was also a loving and dear brother and brother-in-law to the late Kay and Sam Bistany, Mary and Frank Sheehan, Jack Scott, Bud Cain, Joan Driscoll, and Patty Scarpa. He is survived by siblings and in-laws Eileen Widdowson Scott of Ocala, FL; Jean Cain of Downingtown, PA; Jack and Dolores Driscoll of Rye, NH; Dom Scarpa of Andover; Bob Driscoll, Betty and Fran Connolly, and David and Kathy Driscoll all of Melrose. He was the dear friend of in-laws Pauline Shea of Melrose, Mary Richmond of Gloucester, and the late Peter P. Shea. He also leaves 35 nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, on Wednesday, Dec. 29th at 9AM. A Funeral Mass in celebration of Jim's life will be held at St. Mary's Church, Herbert St. Melrose at 10AM. Relatives & friends invited. Visiting hours Tuesday from 2:00 to 8:00PM. Interment at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Melrose Friends of the Aging, Inc. for the Jim Driscoll Endowment Fund, 201 West Foster St., Melrose, MA, 02176.