James was born to James Grady and Frances Hannon on August 9, 1933. He attended Princeton High School and was a 1953 graduate of Amboy High School.
Jim’s life was the epitome of hard work and grit. He often spoke about attending a one-room schoolhouse where his mom was the teacher and the difficulty of travel to and from his education (“we had to walk uphill both ways”). He was very intelligent and a good student. However, he did reveal that instead of reading the entire book for his book reports, he would only read a little bit of the beginning, middle, and end.
He attended Princeton High School until his senior year, when his family moved to a farm outside of Amboy. It was there where he met the love of his life, Lucille. When he was drafted into the Korean War, he would write letters to her often. Spending two years stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska, came with enduring cold winters, enduring whatever terrible food the mess hall was serving up, and the cancellation of a free Bob Hope show (a topic he was still mad about until the end).
He finally came home and proposed to Lucille, presenting her with two rings and letting her pick. They were married on May 19, 1957, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Amboy. As the years passed, they were blessed with five children, many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Their marriage was a testament to their strong partnership, as you could always find the two working alongside each other every fall and spring on the farm they owned in Ohio, IL. Besides farming, Jim also served as transportation director and bus driver for the Amboy School District for many years. He was kind but ran a tight ship, with the unlucky few students finding themselves at the mercy of his “bus driver voice.”
When they weren’t farming, they spent time traveling. They were able to travel to Italy, Panama, Hawaii, Alaska, and Branson, but Jim’s favorite place remained Ireland. Being almost 100% Irish, his heritage was immensely important to him, as displayed by his consistent commitment to eating corned beef and cabbage and listening to Daniel O’Donnell.
Jim had the most impressive memory, a true gift to his children and grandchildren, as he was able to pass on stories of those who were unable to tell them anymore. When asked what advice he would give his children and great-grandchildren, he said, “Work hard, stay away from drugs and alcohol, and the rest will take care of itself.”
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucille; his parents; son-in-law Carl Alesio; and sister Eileen Palko. James is survived by his children, LuAnn (Anthony) Costello of Arlington, IL; Karen Alesio of Schenectady, NY; James E. (Linda) Grady of Amboy; Janet (Myron) Leffelman of Maytown; Mike (Renee) Grady of Dixon; 13 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, George (Barb) Schwamberger of Franklin Grove.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 2, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Amboy. Burial will follow at St. Patrick Cemetery in Amboy. Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Amboy. Arrangements by Mihm-Jones Funeral Home in Amboy.
