Jim lived in Jersey City, NJ and was retired from Conrail.

He was married and had two children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He had two brothers, and one sister. 

After leaving Jersey City, he lived briefly in Pennsylvania, and then finally in Manchester, NJ.
 
He loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren more than anything. He was kind, funny, and generous. He loved to sing and was the life of the party.

Even though his own childhood and life was filled with hardships and struggles, he loved without judgement, and went out of his way to make a child smile whenever he could. 

He passed just days after his son, Jim Sawyer, Jr. succumbed to Melanoma.