SMITHFIELD – James “Jim” LaCroix, 72, died on Feb. 14, 2023, in the comfort of his home in Smithfield, Maine. He first moved to the house in 1971 with his young family, and since 1977 has lived in the home with his wife Sue Anne. The house, its property and gardens were his passion.

Jim was born July 21, 1950, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. He was the third child of Edward Joseph LaCroix Jr and Doris Marie Beaudoin. From Greenfield he went on to take some classes at University Mass. Amherst, but like many young people of the 60s he was more inclined to travel than pursue college, drifting around New England for a number of years before settling in Maine. He did everything from being a roadie for a band from Boston, to working as a glass cutter, to being a caretaker of a horse farm. He landed at the Seven Maples Farm in Smithfield in 1971, where he settled in to the “back-to-the-land” lifestyle and remained committed to protecting this little piece of the earth until his death.

Jim was an extraordinary carpenter, building new homes and renovating older structures. At the Seven Maples he grew into a lover of old buildings and developed a passion for making them new again. He worked tirelessly to make “This Old House” built in 1842 a beautiful and comfortable home. The house today has been renovated to incorporate both historical elements and modern convenience, and all of it from the slate kitchen sink to the oak cabinetry and oak shower are his handiwork. He had a talent for making old things new again, and he truly enjoyed his years working for the State of Maine renovating historical landmarks. The Fort and house at Pemaquid were particular favorites of his, along with the camps on Beaver Island on Upper Richardson Lake. It seemed the structures he worked on were always a challenge and when on leisurely drives around the state he would always check in on his past labors.

Jim was a voracious reader and lover of music of all types. He enjoyed board games and puzzles and until just a few days before his death he was still doing his daily puzzles in the newspaper. He loved to make beer, wine, and soda…he always had something cookin’. But from spring until fall he was outside gardening, pruning, mowing, and enjoying the simple things, occasionally taking some time to go out for a nice dinner and attend music events.

Jim is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sue, former wife Bia Winter of Mt. Vernon, daughter Erica of Oakland, grandchildren Dylan and Elisabeth, stepsons Micah and Adrian, of Colorado, brothers Edward (Debbie) of New Hampshire, George (Angie) and John, and sister Sharen of Greenfield, Mass. In lieu of a formal service we invite all friends and family to visit the farm this summer between mid-July and mid-August to pick Jim’s high bush blueberries, his prize crop. Bring a box or a bucket and remember Jim.