Jimmy D. Paige Sr.

Jimmy (Jim) D. Paige, 78, Brownville, passed away July 21, 2023 peacefully surrounded by his loving family at Samaritan Medical Center after a brief illness.

Jim was born April 17, 1945 in Watertown, NY, son of the late Alfred and Dorothy (Moran) Paige, and attended Watertown school. He graduated from the Police Academy in 1966 and entered the Watertown City Police Department while buying and selling metals in the Watertown area.

He held various jobs over the years at Bachner’s Chicken Farm, Mercy Hospital, DEC, Borden’s Milk Plant, Seabury Trucking Company, Knowlton Brothers, New York Air Brake, NYS Wildlife Rehabilitator, NYS Nuisance Trapping as well as having many rental houses in Watertown.

On September 25, 1976, he married the love of his life, Barbara Hess. She is the only woman who could put up with his nonsense and deserves a medal for doing so. Together, they had a son, Joseph Paige. In 1982 they purchased a farm on the Star School House Rd. Dexter, NY where he raised and milked cows and then opened Paige’s Junkyard which is currently known as Paige Recycling today.

A previous marriage with Gwendolyn Rheume ended in a divorce. Together they had 3 children, Jimmy Jr. and David Paige and Wendy Napolitano.

Jim enjoyed and was passionate about buying and selling metals, hunting and trapping, getting calls all hours of the night for bats or other nuisance animals that may need to be removed from your home. He loved playing yahtzee, poker or any other card game with anyone who dared to play with him. Watching Western movies (especially with John Wayne) never got old to him as he knew everyone by heart, and he loved listening to old country music. 

He had an awful sweet tooth and loved his donuts, candy and peanut butter straight from the jar. Jim enjoyed feeding friends and family venison with a loaf of fresh Italian bread over a good talk. Anyone who knew him, knew that this was the only food that he could cook.

Jim also supported many events in the community, as he would regularly attend the Dexter Booster Club, playing Santa for Kmart, Relay For Life, and other events. While playing Santa, he would anonymously pick a less fortunate family to provide gifts to, so that they could have a better Christmas. For many years, he provided junk vehicles to the Brownville Fire Department for training purposes at Paige Recycling.

If you knew Jim, you knew he was a gruff guy who had a heart of gold, loved his family and friends, and was always there for you. Whether he liked you or not, he was never afraid to speak his mind. He would let you know what he thought of you - good or bad. It didn’t matter what the atmosphere was like or who was around, as he had no filter on his mouth and  spoke from the heart (most times when he shouldn’t have). If you were one of the lucky ones who he considered his friend and were ever in need of help, you knew you could count on him to be there for you. It didn’t matter the time of day or night, he would answer the phone and roll out of bed to come get you whether it be for a ride, just to talk, bail money or some other situation that you were in. He never turned away someone he cared about.

Speaking of phone, anyone who knew him knew he was worse than a woman when it comes to talking on the phone. For those unfortunate people that had to experience his phone calls, the family is truly sorry for his actions with the continued and uninterrupted calls for what sometimes turned into hours (no joke) of him calling, leaving a voice message, hanging up and starting the cycle all over again. He did this because you didn’t answer or return his call in a timely manner. All he did was make your blood boil to only find out he wanted nothing other than to ask, “What are you doing?”

Surviving is his beloved wife of 46 years, Barbara Paige and children Jimmy Jr. (Candy) Paige - Cleveland, NY; David (Margie) Paige - Adams, NY; Wendy Napolitano - Baldwinsville, NY; Joseph (Nichole) Paige - Brownville, NY; stepson Anthony Hess - Rochester, NY as well as a brother Richard Paige, Utica, NY; sister Susan (Terry) Carland; 14 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and great friends that he considered family like his own children, Jerry & Hunter Vecchio and Wendy Simmons.

He is predeceased by his parents and brothers Carles (Chuckie), and Billy Paige and a sister Beverly Brown.

Arrangements are with the Johnson Funeral Home, Dexter NY. Calling hours are 11 AM - 2 PM on Sunday, July 30, 2023 followed by a celebration of life at 3 PM at the Brownville American Legion.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: American Cancer Society - P.O. Box 357 Watertown, NY 13601, Town of Brownville Fire District - 100 Locke St. Dexter, NY  13634 or a charity of one’s choice.

The family would like to thank all the nurses on the 4th floor at Samaritan Hospital for their generous support and care during this difficult time. A special thank you goes out to Krystyna for taking extra special care of him as you are very compassionate about others. The family could not have done this without each and everyone of you.

Online condolences may be left at www.dexterfuneralhome.com

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