James Leo Patrick Glynn, former owner of the James  L. Glynn Insurance Agency in Reading, passed away suddenly on Monday, November 17, 2025. He was 91 years old.  Jim was a man of great faith.

James was born in Dorchester, the son of James Leo and Mary (Moriarty) Glynn. A Great Depression Baby, those early years formed his work ethic. In his world, nothing was given—you earned it. At a young age, he helped his Uncle Jack saddle horses in car barns at three o'clock in the morning to deliver milk, delivered newspapers by wagon to three-family deckers, rode his bike through Boston and Roxbury delivering telegrams, and worked in the Supreme Market warehouse moving produce and stocking shelves—all before he had graduated from high school. He was also an altar boy at St. Gregory's Parish and later graduated from Cathedral High School. With determination he worked hard to put himself through college and became a proud alumnus of Boston College. During these years, he spent his summers driving dump trucks to and from Taunton and continuing his work at Supreme Markets in Dorchester.

After graduating from Boston College with a degree in Business Administration and ready to take on the world, Jim enlisted in the Navy June 18, 1956. He served a two-year term as a crew member aboard the USS Macon, a heavy destroyer and part of the Sixth Fleet working in the Personnel Office.  He received the Good Conduct Medal and was honorably discharged on June 9, 1958. He continued his commitment to his country by serving in the United States Naval Reserves until May 9, 1962.

Following his military service, Jim began his career at Metropolitan Insurance Company and later spent 25 years with Allstate Insurance Company. Confident in the connections he had built throughout the community, he embarked on a new journey in 1988 and founded the James L. Glynn Insurance Agency in Reading. With his beloved wife Madeline by his side as his office manager, Jim treated every customer like family and a friend. Jim's daughter Kathy joined the family business from its inception, and his daughter Lisa joined shortly thereafter. Jim finally retired at age 82 after a lifetime of providing for his family and serving his community.

Along with his strong work ethic, Jim was far from all work and no play. He embraced life with unmistakable vigor. Vibrant, fun, generous and larger than life, he had a magnetic personality and time spent with Jim was always guaranteed to be filled with laughter and joy. He coached and played softball with some of his close neighbor friends and formed the "Town Liners" softball team and treasured the camaraderie it brought for many years on the town team.

Family, however, was the heart of Jim's world. His great love story began when he spotted a pretty young woman at the Maridor in Framingham asking her for a dance. The couple married exactly one year later on May 11, 1963 and together they built a loving home filled with five beautiful daughters. As a father, Jim was the example of family and love, a mentor, protector, and biggest cheerleader. The only challenge of raising a house full of girls, he joked, was getting bathroom time and any hot water!  He wanted only the best for "His Girls." In the early years Jim and Madeline enjoyed many sales trips he had won through Allstate Insurance Company and later many family summer vacations to the beach in Rockport, Maine and Florida. Special memories were when he rented RVs driving the family to Florida and eventually purchased a winter home in Sarasota near Siesta Key in 1980. For decades he drove there annually until age 90. His joy only grew as his family expanded.  He welcomed his sons-in-laws with open arms and beamed with pride at the arrival of all his grandchilden and great-grandchilden.

Jim lived a rich and meaningful life. He worked hard, followed his passions, (did it his way) and built an incredibly loving family. We are saddened by his unexpected passing but he leaves behind a legacy full of memories, stories, and love. In time, the tears will give way to smiles and laughter as his family fondly remembers their beloved husband, dad, grandfather, and great-grandfather—and the joy he brought to all of their lives.

Jim was the beloved husband for 62 years of Madeline F. (Donovan) Glynn of Holliston.  He was the proud father of Kelly Glynn & her wife Karen Mazzola-Glynn of Plymouth, Lisa Glynn-Downer of Burlington, Kathleen Parsons & her husband Matt of Billerica, Michele Auriemma & her husband Ron of Stoneham, and Kristie Forni & her husband Mike of Peabody.  He was the supportive brother of Marie Glynn of Plymouth and Geraldine Daly & her husband Joe of Dorchester & W. Harwich and uncle "Jim Dandy" to their 5 children.   Jim was the proud "Grandpa" of Kaylee McEwen & her husband Will, Cody Parsons, Meghan Parsons, Ally Parsons, Carly Downer, Shelby Downer, Brendan Downer, Casey Stevens & her husband Alex, Nicole Auriemma, Joseph Auriemma, Michael Forni, Ayden Forni, McKenna Forni, Monika Sheeler & her husband Patrick, and Drake Di Troia. He was the great grandfather of Liam McEwen, Grace McEwen, Luca Di Troia, and was anxiously waiting for the births of three more great grandchildren. Jim was the brother-in-law of Jean Donovan, Ellen Fraize & her late husband John, Adele Coyne, Mary Donovan, Patty & Joe Oyer, Connie Craycroft & her late husband John, Jimmy & Ann Marie Donovan, Marian & Mark Bireley, Ann McDonald & her late husband Jack, and Michael & Terry Donovan. And uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington on Monday, November 24 from 4-7 p.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Margaret Church in St. Veronica Parish, 111 Winn Street, Burlington, Tuesday, November 25 at noon.  Services will conclude with a burial at Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burlington.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials in Jim's name may be made to the USO.

For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net

Eulogy of James L. Glynn

Family and friends, thank you for gathering today to honor the life of James L. Glynn, "Jim Dandy" as some of us knew him by. Grandpa was a man who now makes it difficult to capture his true essence with only words. A man who was driven by his deep faith in God, unwavering love for his wife, entire family, and devotion to his country. His greatest achievement is not from his tenacious work ethic, because the most rewarding aspect of his life was being a father to five girls. When Grammy was pregnant with her 5th child, they had hoped for a boy. After the baby was born, Grandpa sent a bouquet of flowers with a note that read "thank you for another beautiful daughter".

Raising them certainly brought trials; he made sure they knew about cars just in case - how to pump gas, check the oil, change out a tire. It did not go well when one of his daughters' dates picked her up with a missing headlight. 8 Town Line Rd. was referred to as "Jim's Inspection Station". Needless to say, that date never happened. Most of the time he got the short end of the stick, always walking around the house with his shaving kit trying to get into a bathroom. He joked he would have to shave in the bird bath outside. That became a running tease from the rest of the fathers on the block, who Grandpa shared a camaraderie with. Curling irons were his foe, and to him, it seemed like his house turned into Logan Airport with all the hair dryers going. There were days he would come home late from work, and he'd have to yell at the kids because GRAMMY said they were acting up, and he had a really funny impression of the way all his daughters cried to him in synchrony, telling him that he didn't even know what he was angry about. Yet, he never wavered in his patience. In time, these were the moments he reminisced about, and we knew that Grandpa wouldn't have changed any of it for the world; he wore his love for his girls on his sleeve, and the hat of their protector. He always joked, for living with 6 women, he was going to Heaven by Federal Xpress. God gave him his wish, and we are blessed that he took that ride without suffering, with his wife by his side always, as well as his family.

He taught his daughters that love meant stepping up when others needed you most. He never made sacrifices seem like burdens. His strength wasn't the kind that demanded attention, it was steady and unbreakable. He knew that a great father wasn't about grand gestures, but it was about making all the small moments for his children extraordinary. Sundays consisted of church in the morning, and sitting down together for a boiled dinner. Every Christmas Eve after mass, he headed to the record player once they got home to put on his favorite song, "Feliz Navidad" and dance the night off. The red Christmas lights he displayed in all the windows shine in memory with nostalgia, and the comfort of hearing him sneak in quietly to unplug them made those nights peaceful to sleep. Every holiday was special, but one - particularly the most. Grandpa was a proud and true Irishman. He wanted to pass on his pride of his Irish roots, so every St. Patrick's Day, he made sure he had a green carnation for each of his daughters. They all wore that beautiful green flower proudly. He always referred to his girls as his little "Colleen's". So today, we carry that same flower on our chests.

Grandpa dearly loved each and every one of his grandchildren. He never skipped out on a milestone; never missed a birthday. Alongside Grammy, Grandpa made sure to absorb all of life's moments with us. Some of the most cherished moments include his participation in two of his granddaughters' recent weddings. He was a proud ringbearer for his granddaughter Casey, and was honored to give a special toast for his granddaughter Kaylee. He didn't stop there. Everyone knows how much he loved to dance. You were never alone on the dance floor because Grandpa was there right beside you, even at 91 years young. He never let life slow his body or spirit down; He could never miss out on having fun with his boisterous family. He loved to share jokes and be goofy, just to see smiles on our faces. Sometimes he laughed so hard, you got a little worried for him. With his kind eyes and a chuckle, I remember how he'd greet you by saying, "Top of the morning lad!" By the way, he loved to fake an Irish accent. His endearing wit and overexaggerated impressions is something that can never be replaced. And, let's not forget his passion for storytelling, especially the navy days. Those of you who know him, understand that he would tell the same story over and over again. We've heard about his navy ship so many times, we actually believe we were on it with him. Remember how proud he was to show us those little photographs he kept in his wallet, one of him in uniform, and the other - him as a boy sitting on his father's shoulders, who was a soldier in WW2. He would tell us, with excitement and pride - "That's my dad! Your great grandfather - he fought the Nazis in tanks on Normandy Beach". But, you never reminded him that it was your 305th time hearing that, or seeing the same photo, because you just appreciated that he was so happy to include his grandkids in something that meant so much to him.

Jim loved all 3 of his son-in-laws, who gave him the opportunity to have MORE people to tell his stories to, or to simply share a beer with, or watch a football game together, and he welcomed his daughter-in-law with open arms, another girl in his life to share a laugh with. Truly, Jim enjoyed being one of the guys, mostly because it gave him a break from all the women. It was incredibly easy to get along with him, as each of them can recall.

My Grandpa had an infectious energy that would light up a room. Anyone that my Grandpa encountered, an impression was left due to his jovial, kind, and magnetic personality. He found grace in people he didn't know. That was my Grandpa's nature. He had admiration and love for his friends. He built and sustained strong, lifelong friendships, which is a testament to his loyal character.

These friends, and everybody for that matter, knew how extremely proud our Grandpa was of the family he created, and he was even more proud of his beloved wife Madeline, who he couldn't have done life without. He loved to travel back to the precious day that he met her. I can hear his funny, suave voice, imitating the way he asked Grammy for a dance when he introduced himself to her. The result of fate that day would be a beautiful legacy of 62 years of marriage. It brings back something very special that Grandpa's mother told Grammy, after they got married. She looked her new daughter-in-law in the eyes and said, "he will never let you down". Those unforgettable words carry the weight of a promise that was ultimately fulfilled to our Grammy. She holds that memory safe and warm in her heart. She would always say how Grandpa made life so much fun for her. The pair spent their lives being each other's best friends. They did absolutely everything together. There isn't a place that one would go without the other. Life had them tied at the hip. They worked together, they ate every meal of the day together, and when the sun set, they were still by each other's sides. As the years went on, they embraced the simple things in life even more, and treasured growing old together. Grandpa never stopped taking Grammy out on dates, like the time they were caught sharing a kiss on the Jumbotron screen at a sports game, or all those memorable lunches and dinners spent at their favorite places. They even color coordinated their outfits to copy each other. Together, they were young at heart. Grandpa loved his eggs for breakfast, so each night before going to sleep, Grammy would ask him how he'd like his eggs cooked for the next morning, and Grandpa would put in his order, "scrambled" or "over easy", and Grandpa's habit to Grammy, was always to tell her that he loved her, and he didn't let her go. They planned their days together in advance, because they both knew how fragile and special their love was. There would never be enough time that was spent together. But, for the cherished time that was, there is nothing in this world that is more valuable to our Grammy. Our grandparents needed nothing besides each other's presence. Their inseparable bond is the embodiment of marriage, and they were a powerful example to us of how beautiful life can be when you spend it with your soulmate. Their relationship shows us that when love is so strong, the heart finds meaning in the smallest and purest things in life. It could be as simple as making eggs in the morning. Jim and Madeline were truly created for each other. A love like theirs is hard to say goodbye to, yet in this world where death is guaranteed, we know that even after death, a bond between two souls does not waste away. It is difficult to process how a man with such a lively spirit was at the end of his life, but Grandpa was a man who left nothing incomplete in this world before it was his time to go. He was a man devoted to fulfilling his life's purpose, just as God intended - of marrying the love of his life, raising a beautiful family, and spreading simple joy. So Grandpa, thank you for showing us what it means to be a true gentleman, and paving the way to what truly matters in this life of limited time. And Grammy, when your grief feels heavy, remember that the pain is a sign of having experienced something incredibly special, in this life of limited time. That grief is what connects us all, because it is the one thing that we all have in common.

There is comfort in knowing that Grandpa is smiling down at all of us, dressed in bright green, singing his songs to Neil Diamond, enjoying that new knee he said he would always get so that he can be on Dancing With The Stars: Heaven's Edition, and he is shining over his wife and entire family the rest of the way. My grandpa called me Little Jim, due to my strong resemblance. Unfortunately, I also inherited the trait of losing my keys and wallet everywhere, just like he did. I am honored to stand here today delivering his Eulogy. From all of us Grandpa, AKA Big Jim, we thank you for the wonderful life and legacy you have left. And most importantly, thank you for our amazing mothers. We love you dearly. Rest in peace.