James T. McManus passed away at his home in Melrose on February 24, 2018 at the age of 77. Jim was raised in Woburn, MA, and graduated from Woburn High School in 1958. He then went on to honorably serve in the Army as a Cannoneer at Ft. Sill, where he boasted no one successfully invaded Oklahoma during his tour. Upon discharge, he returned to Massachusetts where he entered the elevator industry and became a licensed elevator constructor. Later, he became an elevator inspector, a job he held for the city of Boston as well as the state of Massachusetts until his retirement in 2002. Throughout his life he continued to be active in sports and every week played basketball for over 30-years with life-long friends. After retiring he took up golf which became his passion. He stated he never played it well but he loved it anyway. When he was not playing golf, he was in the woods around courses, looking for golf balls where he would fastidiously clean and present to his friends always saying, 'I think this is the one you lost.' Some of his favorite times were up at Pine Terrace, Cobbetts Pond, NH, with family and life-long friends. He was also an avid dancer and as soon as the first beat of music started, he was on the dance floor. His sisters claim they taught him all his jitter-bug steps since he was their partner as all of them grew up. Jim's wit, charm and energy lit up any room and he would instantaneously change a good time into a phenomenal time just by his presence and, of course, his jokes. Jim had an aura about him that had people gravitate to him. Jim's credit to a life well lived is the over-whelming love from his family and life-long friends. He was devoted to his family. Once a friend of Jimmy Mac, always a friend of Jimmy Mac. Jim was the beloved husband of Janet Moore McManus & the late Linda (Doherty) McManus. Loving father of Erin (McManus) Kirby & her husband Richard of Melrose, Kyle (McManus) Kidd & her husband David, James McManus & his wife Elizabeth all of Wakefield. Loving step father of Dennis Wagner & his wife Jill of VA, Christopher Wagner & his wife Christine of PA, Clair LarMoore of Melrose & Selena (LarMoore) Walckner ESQ. & her husband James of CT. Proud grandfather of Maxwell, Rory, Morgan & Richard Kirby, Dillon & Bridie Kidd, Catherine & Caroline McManus, Shane Wagner, Kayleigh Brammer, Mackenzie & Lennox Munroe. Caring brother of Elizabeth Carpenter and her husband the late Donald Carpenter, Phillip McManus and his wife Florence Doherty McManus, Jane Marciano and her husband Anthony Marciano, Ellen Hennelly and her husband the late John Hennelly, Mary Judith Limoncello and her husband Joseph Limoncello, Paula Doherty and her husband the late James Doherty, Sister-in-law Ann Carr McManus and the late Steve McManus, the late Margaret Donaghey and her husband Steve Donaghey, Alice Macleod and her husband Norman Macleod, Joseph and his wife Patricia Mahoney McManus, & John McManus and his wife Dorothy Allard McManus. Also survived by numerous, nieces, nephews, cousins & friends. Visitation will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose on Wednesday February 28, 2018 from 4:00-8:00PM. Funeral procession from Gately Funeral Home on Thursday, March 1st at 9AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 1155 Main St. Wakefield at 10:00AM. Interment at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose. US Army Vietnam War Veteran. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in James name to help battle mesothelioma illness to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave. Boston, MA 02215.