James Vincent Canfield

12/07/1929 – 12/26/2025

James Vincent Canfield passed away peacefully on December 26th, 2025 in Towson, Maryland, at the age of 96, from pneumonia. He was born on December 7th, 1929 in Staten Island, New York and was a graduate and honorary alumnus of Port Richmond High School. After graduating from high school, he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed for a time in the Philippines at Subo Bay Naval Base. When his tour of duty was completed, he returned to Staten Island and attended Wagner College under the GI Bill to become a teacher. While there, he met Nancy (Catherine) Gallagher who was also studying to become a teacher. They married shortly after graduating from Wagner College and built a house in Richmondtown, Staten Island, where they raised four children together.

Jim and the family moved to Athens, Ohio for two years where he received his doctoral degree in economic education at Ohio University. They returned to Staten Island and Jim worked for the NYC Board of Education for the next 30 years. He became Principal of McKee High School on Staten Island; Superintendent of Vocational Technical High Schools for NYC; and Superintendent of Manhattan High Schools. After retiring from the NYC Board of Education, Jim created the Fordham Educational Leadership Program (FELP) at Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus to train educators to become successful leaders.

Nancy passed away in 1986 and a number of years later Jim married Mary Ann Mortimer. They moved to Palm Cost, Florida with several of their friends from Staten Island. Jim became involved in local politics. He organized the Home Rule Coalition which led to the incorporation of Palm Coast into a city. In 1999, Jim was elected as the first mayor of Palm Coast, which was one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Jim spent the next eight years serving as mayor.

Mary Ann passed away in 2004 and a few years later Jim developed a close companionship with Gladys Moore of Palm Coast. Upon her death in 2018, Jim moved back north and settled near his daughter, Eileen, in Towson, Maryland. There he lived and thrived in a vibrant retirement community for eight years. Throughout his life Jim loved playing golf, watching Notre Dame football games, and growing roses in his gardens.

Jim is pre-deceased by his oldest son, James Thomas Canfield (d. 2016). He is survived by his three children: Eileen Canfield of Towson, Maryland; Julie Canfield of Boston, Massachusetts; and Kevin Canfield of New York, New York. He has seven grandchildren: Tyler, Isabel, Courtney, John, Catherine, Cameron and Rachel. The family will be holding a memorial service at a future date in Montauk, NY, where Jim's ashes will be buried high atop a hill overlooking the water and the sunsets. Additional acknowledgements will be held in Staten Island, NY and Palm Coast, FL.