James E. Ganzekaufer

January 26, 1937 - March 7, 2021

Hampton - James Ganzekaufer, 84, a longtime resident of Queens, NY, passed away on Sunday, March 7, 2021 after a period of illness. Jim was born on January 26, 1937 in New York City to Kathleen and Joseph Ganzekaufer, one of four sons. He is predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Jeanne, and his brothers Joseph and Edward. He is survived by his brother George, his loving children, Linda and Scott, and his four grandchildren. Jim proudly joined the US Air Force after high school and served his country as Airman First Class. Jim started his career at Hansen and Tiedmann, the shipping agency where he met his beloved wife, Jeanne. While raising a family, his career brought him to Louisiana and Tennessee then back to NY. He ultimately rose to a management position, developing lifelong friendships along the way. After retirement, Jim and Jeanne were blessed with the opportunity to travel the world with close friends and family. Jim enjoyed fishing and golfing. Through life’s ups and downs, Jim had a zest for life and always maintained his sense of humor. The life of any party lucky enough to have him, he always arrived with a head full of bawdy jokes for the adults and pockets of gag shop trinkets to amuse the kids. Lines often blurred as an evening progressed, frequently ending in his famous rendition of Yukon Pete to a roomful of brothers and sisters-in-law and delighted teenaged nephews. Friends and loved ones will be contacted for a celebration of Jim’s life at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Jim’s name.