James W. Sandy Jr. 1932-2026

He was born June 3, 1932, in Warren, the son of James W. Sr. and Elizabeth Scarnecchia Sandy.

Duke was a 1950 graduate of Niles McKinley High School and was employed by Wade Rose Construction, General Structures and Valley Consolidated, and owned and operated Total Resources.

He was a member of St. Pope John XXIII Parish-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles, a church usher, a Niles Frontliners member and an avid sports fan, especially of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He was a United States Army veteran of the Korean War.

He will be deeply missed by his wife, Jilda Marie Celedonia Sandy, whom he married Nov. 25, 1954; three children, Jan Berkowitz and her husband, Samuel, of Hubbard; Carol Thomas and her husband, Gerald, of Niles; and James Sandy and his wife, Sandy, of Raleigh, North Carolina; three grandchildren, Lauren Fife and her husband, Jon; Natalie Wilson and her husband, Dan; and Jeff Thomas and his wife, Jen; and four great-grandchildren, Emmett and Oliver Fife, Cecelia “Cece” Wilson and Chloe Thomas.

Friends may call 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the Joseph Rossi and Sons Funeral Home in Niles. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Pope John XXIII Parish-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles, preceded by an 11 a.m. prayer service at the funeral home.

Burial will be in Niles City Cemetery, where Duke will be honored for his military services by the VFW 9571 Ellsworth Honor Guard.

Contributions can be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Arrangements handled by the Joseph Rossi and Sons Funeral Home in Niles. Family and friends can visit www.josephrossifuneralhome.com to view this obituary and send condolences to Duke’s family.

(special notice)