James Lester Jendro

James Lester Jendro

May 12, 1945 – October 20, 2024

DRACUT - James L. Jendro of Dracut, Mass. passed away on October 20, 2024 at the age of 79. Born in Weston, West Virginia, to James Cyril and Mabel (Lester) Jendro, Jim is predeceased by his parents, his sister Charlene and many aunts, uncles and cousins from West Virginia.

A graduate of Mckinley High School in Canton, OH Jim worked at Republic Steel before graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering. In 1968 Jim married the love of his life LouAnn Wixted of Troy, NY. For over three decades James worked in high tech — first designing computer systems and eventually becoming a software pioneer in the desktop printing and publishing industry. 

Jim moved his family to Dracut in 1973 where he and LouAnn began their life of service to the town. He participated in Dracut Local Television, volunteering at the Dracut Scholarship Foundation Telethon for over a decade. Jim served on the Girl Scouts of America Spar and Spindle Board of Directors and also helped launch Dracut’s local newspaper, the Merrimack Journal. Committed to environmental protection, Jim served on the Dracut Conservation Commission for 30 years to preserve Dracut’s forests and wetlands. 

Fascinated by machines, Jim was a lifelong amateur radio operator, railroad enthusiast and self-described tinkerer. He loved the natural world and enjoyed spending time flying kites on his favorite beach, canoeing with LouAnn, watching the birds at his feeder, and looking at constellations in the night sky. His favorite pastime was driving around the United States with LouAnn to visit National Parks and Historic Sites. Hiis greatest joy, however, was spent with his family listening to the owls on the porch he built.

Jim is survived by his wife of 56 years, LouAnn; his son James Jendro and wife Kendra of Dracut; his daughter Elizabeth Noël and husband Brian of Lowell; and his grandchildren Abby Noël and Maddox Jendro.

A Celebration of his life will be held on Monday, October 28, from 4 until 7 PM at The McKenna-Ouellette Funeral Home, 327 Hildreth Street. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Arbor Day Foundation in memory of Jim’s love of the woods. shop.arborday.org/trees-in-memory