James McKnight Donnelly, III 72, of Lincoln, passed away on Thursday, June 30th. He was the husband of Barbara (Banik) Donnelly. They had been married for 48 years. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late James M. Donnelly, Jr. and Ruth (Flavin) Donnelly.
Mr. Donnelly held a B.A. in economics from Providence College and an M.A. in quantitative economics from Brown University.
Before serving as SSTAR Board President, he began his career in 1972 at Industrial National Bank as an analyst, portfolio manager and head of trading. He then became Vice President of sales with Carroll, McEntee & McGinley and National Sales Manager for Greenwich Capital Markets. In 1980, James began working with Jeff Parker to found Technical Data Corporation and Business Research, Inc./First Call and served on their Board of Directors until its sale to Thomson Financial Services in 1986. While at Thomson Global Markets, James operated as Chief Technical Analyst and Chief Market Strategist. He later joined Olson Global Markets where he served as President and Managing Director. He wrote several published articles and had been quoted on numerous occasions in national publications such as the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, The International Financial Review, and USA Today.
When James was not engrossed with his work, you could find him entertaining his friends and family. He treated his home like a local cineplex, showcasing his favorite films while serving guests his latest culinary creation paired with his favorite wine. During summer months, James’ love for sailing was always present, whether it was captaining his boat or taking the ferry to Newport from Providence. He never passed up an opportunity to glide down Narragansett Bay. He also shared his affection for sports with his sons by taking them to Friar basketball games, Fenway Park, McCoy Stadium, and events to meet the athletes themselves. Always ready to employ his quick wit, James relished in creating a boisterous environment with those he loved.
He is survived by his wife Barbara S. Donnelly of Lincoln, RI; children James M. Donnelly IV of Delmar, NY, Stephen B. Donnelly of Lincoln, RI; siblings Nancy Culpepper of Boston and Westport, MA., Peter F. Donnelly of Portland, ME; nieces Jennifer Culpepper of Wakefield, RI, Maeve Donnelly of Portland, ME; great niece Lily Culpepper of Wakefield, RI and many cousins as well.
A service will be held at Swan Point Cemetery’s Redwood Chapel in Providence on Thursday, July 7 at 11:00AM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to SSTAR (Stanley Street Treatment and Resources), 386 Stanley St, Fall River, MA 02720.