Passed away on November 20th, 2023.
BARRE – James F. “Jim” Cross IV, 70, died Nov. 20, 2023, at his home in Barre Town. He was born Dec. 2, 1952, in Orange, NJ, the son of Michèle and James Cross III. He graduated from South Kent School and Montclair State College. He earned bachelor’s degrees in French and German from Montclair State College. He married Christel (Bräutigam) Cross on August 21, 1985.
He was an independent tennis coach who worked with multiple recreation departments, fitness clubs, and high schools, as well as Berkeley Tennis Club and the Vic Braden Tennis College.
He was the underwriting coordinator at WGDR Plainfield/WGDH Hardwick for several years after retiring from tennis. He was also an on-air personality at WGDR/WGDH. He translated L’invitation by Nobel Prize winning author Claude Simon from the original French into English, which was published as The Invitation in 1991. He enjoyed playing guitar, clarinet, and violin; woodworking; gardening; birdwatching; drawing and painting; poetry; reading and learning; and hiking through the forest at his home and throughout Vermont. His mind was constantly open for new adventures. He will always be remembered for his humor and quick wit, bringing a smile to peoples’ faces even in his final days.
Survivors include his wife, Christel Cross of Barre; his son, James Cross of Barre; two sisters, Mary Cross of Venice, CA, and Sarah Wight of Berlin, VT; his mother-in-law, Lieselotte Bräutigam of Bochum, Germany; his brother-in-law, Rolf Bräutigam of Bochum; his sister-in-law, Inge Fritsch of Steinau an der Straße, Germany; several nieces and nephews; and several cousins.
He was predeceased by his mother, Michèle Cross; his father, James Cross III; his father-in-law, Wenzl Bräutigam; and several cousins.
Per Jim’s wishes there will be no services held at this time. Memorial contributions in Jim’s memory may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at pancan.org. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.