James A. Vincent

James Andrew Vincent, 70, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend died on May 3, 2024, in Altamonte Springs, Florida after a long illness. He is pre-deceased by his father, Joseph Vincent and his mother, Helen Alpine Vincent. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carol (Parra) of Winter Springs, sons Justin (Haney) of Winter Springs, FL and Brian (Samantha), of Clover, SC, sister Carole Ligotti (Daniel) of Winter Springs, FL and brother, Joseph Vincent (Jette) of Littleton, CO, two grandchildren, Aiden and Avery and sister-in law’s, brother-in-law’s, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Born on June 1, 1953, Jim was raised in Tarrytown and attended the Tarrytown Public Schools. He worked at Sleepy Hollow Country Club, completed one year of college, and then worked for Metro North before becoming a Tarrytown Police Officer in 1979. Like his father, Lt. Joseph Andrew Vincent of the Tarrytown Police Department and grandfather, Ralph Alpine, a Prohibition Agent, Jim pursued a lifelong dream of becoming a Police Officer and K-9 Officer. He influenced and motivated so many young and older people along the path of his career and later in life. Jim inspired both of his sons who proudly followed in his footsteps and are in law enforcement. Jim retired in June of 1999, after 20 years. He enjoyed sharing stories with family and friends about his days as a Police Officer and K-9 Handler. During his time as a K-9 Officer, Jim received many awards and commendations, as well as personal notes from the children and adults he interacted with along the way. He was most proud and passionate of establishing K-9 training programs with area departments. He founded the Hudson Valley K-9 Association and was a board member of North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA). Jim participated in many competitions and training exercises with his work dogs. His passion and memories live on in the many stories he shared over the years. One of Jim’s other passions was ice hockey. He played for the Junior Varsity and Varsity Sleepy Hollow High School Ice Hockey Teams from 1968-1972. His passion for ice hockey was passed along to his sons Justin and Brian. Despite being a police officer and having a demanding schedule, Jim always found time to be at the rink whether he was coaching, organizing tournaments, putting together fundraisers, or acting as a chauffeur for both his sons. He is most proud of his grandson, Aiden who is continuing the Vincent tradition of playing hockey and would attend practices and games, remembering the days when both his sons were on the ice. There were many proud moments and it brought great joy to his life. While living in Hampstead, NC, Jim and his family opened the Wilmington Slot Car Raceway. He enjoyed the hobby of slot car racing and shared that enthusiasm with his sons. He introduced the hobby to children and adults in the Wilmington area. Jim scheduled and hosted many races, arranged parties for children, adults and those in the corporate world who wanted to bond with employees and hosted fundraisers. He received many community awards and was written about in several publications. He loved watching the reaction by guests and patrons as he demonstrated the skill of racing slot cars around the track at high speeds. He was recognized as the Track Owner of the Year by the Junior NASCAR League. He adored his grandchildren and was happy to have them close by. He was known as PopPop. Whether he was teaching Avery how to wink or trying to trick Aiden with his “fly away bird/come back bird” routine. He cherished having them in his life. He lived in Tarrytown until 1979, Ossining, NY, until 2003, moved to Hampstead, NC until 2019 and then moved to Winter Springs, FL to be closed to family. Jim left this world on his own terms and with grace and dignity. May you rest in peace and watch over us. You will be greatly missed, but know that you have left an impact on us all, along with many memories and stories to carry on your legacy. We will love you always and forever. Family, friends, and fellow police officers are encouraged to bring their best Jim stories to the Wake to be held on Saturday, May 11th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Everyone has a “Jim Story” to tell! Dwyer & Michael's Funeral Home 90 N Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591 914-631-0621

James A. Vincent

June 1, 1953 - May 3, 2024