Obituary: James Boscacci

A funeral for James Boscacci, 58, a Carson City resident for 25 years, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church.

Mr. Boscacci died April 9, 2002, at his home. He was born May 17, 1943, in Oakland, Calif., to Armand and Dorothy Boscacci.

In 1960, he became a quadriplegic after a diving accident and spent the next 18 months in the hospital. He then returned to Bishop O'Dowd High School and received his diploma in 1963. He graduated from St. Mary's College in Moraga, Calif. with a bachelor of arts degree on June 10, 1967. He taught history at Moreau High School in Hayward, Calif., for seven years.

Mr. Boscarri moved to Carson City in 1977 and worked for Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living for several years. On Oct. 19, 1989, he received a certificate of special congressional Recognition for being the NNCIL Outstanding Employee of the Year and received the Governor's Disabled Employee of the Year in recognition of excellence in job performance and in promoting the abilities of disabled persons in Nevada.

He was inducted into the Bishop O'Dowd Alumni Hall of Fame on Feb. 26, 2000, with the first humanitarian award ever given for his work as an advocate for the disabled. He enjoyed using his ham radio and made many friends throughout the world.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Among his survivors are his wife Mary of seven years; daughters Jennifer and Sunny, both of Carson City; granddaughter Bethany; sister and brother-in-law Marilyn and Jack Fitzgerald; nephews Richard of Incline Village, Armand of Bakersfield, Calif., Kenneth of Carson City and niece Lynne Whitezell of Bakersfield, Calif.

Memorial contributions may be made to the James Boscacci Scholarship Fund, Bishop O'Dowd High School, 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland, CA 94605-4799.