James DiNicola passed away Oct. 9, 2017, peacefully and in his home. His loving wife Reji DiNicola was at his side. Jim was 89 years old.

Jim was blessed with and is survived by a large family which he started with his first wife, Shirley, prior to her death. Together they had three children, Robert (Beverly) DiNicola, Patricia (Michael) Quinn, Janet (Curt) Zimmerman.

Jim’s family has grown and grown to include 11 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, James (Karena) DiNicola, Dr. Adrienne DiNicola, D.C., Dr. Lindsey DiNicola-Hand, D.C. (Bart), Nicholas (Loran) Quinn, Matthew (Holli) Quinn, Stephen Quinn, Brian (Ashley) Harris, Josh Harris, Blake Harris, Max (Kendra) Zimmerman, Erin Zimmerman, Jacob DiNicola, Hudson Quinn, Grayson Quinn, and Finley Quinn. Great-grandson Calvin Harris is due to arrive in November.

Jim’s greatest legacy undoubtedly is his dynamic strength of character which inspired his life and guided his family; his work ethic, his honesty and integrity, his kindness and generosity – a strength of character which will survive the generations to come. He will be missed, and will be remembered by the many who knew and loved him.

Jim was the youngest of four children born to Sam and Carmela DiNicola on July 13, 1928, in Cooks Falls, New York. Given Jim’s physical stature and athleticism it is no surprise that following his graduation from Roscoe High School in New York in 1946, he headed into professional sports and signed with the Boston Red Sox Baseball Minor League Affiliate. However, after being told his “fast ball wasn’t quite fast enough,” Jim moved to Syracuse, New York and took a job as a butcher in the local meat market.

Jim was a builder. From his experiences in the meat market in Syracuse, he built a career. He began with Hormel Foods in 1955 and within that company pursued a diverse background including sales and business and plant management. He rose to become vice president of the meat products sales division in 1984. After serving the company for 33 years Jim left Hormel to become chief operating officer of Fiorucci Foods in Richmond, Virginia.

In 1980 Jim met and married Reji Bickford. Following his retirement in 1989 they moved to Austin, Texas where they have lived and happily shared their lives with friends and family for the past 28 years. During these years Jim continued to build on the strength of his business and investment acumen through real estate projects and stock trading. He was a man to whom many looked for guidance and support.

In their most recent years past, Jim and Reji have split their time between Austin, Texas and Mackinaw, Michigan. There they enjoyed a community of wonderful friends and recently shared in the celebration of their 37th wedding anniversary.

The synthesis of Jim’s pride in his Italian heritage and his background as a butcher insured that their dinner parties and family gatherings were to include at least one of his delicious specialties. He was a talented chef and his classic spaghetti sauce, meatballs and sausage were renowned among his friends and family. Besides his frustration of growing tomatoes, he loved a game of golf with his buddies who witnessed his hole in one and managed to find a local course wherever he and Reji travelled. Jim was honored to be a 32nd Degree Master Mason in the Brigham Lodge for 60 years and a member of the Melha Shriners. He lived life large and “played it well.”

Jim DiNicola was a unique individualist who was proud to proclaim, “I did it my way.”

Jim’s extended family includes sisters-in-law, Doreen DiNicola, and Jill Bickford; nephews, Sam DiNicola, and Danny (Renee) Lombard; niece, Debbie Lombard; and brother-in-law, Ted Bickford (Elizabeth).

He was preceded in death by in-laws, Clifton and Ruth Pratt, Dr. Burton C.  and Vicki Bickford; brothers and sister-in-law, Alex DiNicola, and Angelo (Ruth) DiNicola; and sister and brother-in-law, Nancy (Johnny) Lombard.

His family wants to extend a special heartfelt thank you to his doctors and professional staff for their strong support and sincere care: Dr. Jack Moncrief, Dr. David Pohl, Dr. Sidney Robin, Dr. David Morris and the Legacy Hospice professional staff. God Bless you all!

A service will be held by his loving family at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4,  at the Bell Tower of the Ottumwa Cemetery, in Ottumwa, Iowa,

If you wish to honor Jim with a memorial these are his charities dear to his heart; www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate; www.mayoclinic.org/giving-to-mayo-clinic www.shrinershospitalforchildren.org/donate

Arrangements are being made by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 512-263-1511. Obituary and memorial guestbook available online at www.wcfish.com.