A Lifetime A Legacy: Jim Iannone
From left, Jim Iannone with his wife, Barbara; Jim with three of his granddaughters, Elise, Greta and Maren; and Jim and Barbara with their daughters, Dana, Erica, and Alexa.
Jim Iannone Brough People Together in his Public and Private Live
That striking new public pier at 60th Street and the bay – the James R. Iannone Fishing Pier and Kayak Launch – is aptly named. By all accounts, Jim, Jimmy, Dad, Big Jim or Jimmy I. was a natural born leader and a force for good, both publicly and privately.
The U.S. Army veteran had a productive career as a politician in Sea Isle City and South Jersey. That career began in 1976 when Jim Iannone was a council member and later the chairman of the Cape May County Democrats. He went on to become commissioner of Sea Isle City and director of Recreation and Tourism, helping to establish Sea Isle’s Tourism Commission and the Friends of Tourism. This public servant also had a hand in initiating the sale and development of the Sea Isle City Marina and Excursion Park. Iannone next worked as the vice chairman of the board of directors for the South Jersey Transportation Authority. He later became the SJTA’s executive director before retiring from that position in 2006.
Plus, townspeople knew him as a friendly businessman in conjunction with Sands Department Store and Freda Real Estate, both family businesses, or as a force behind the founding of the former First Southern State Bank, which he served as chairman of the board.
There’s more to this gentleman whose name graces the pier … much more.
By all accounts, Jim Iannone had a knack for bringing people together – family members, friends and even fellow politicians. By all accounts, this public figure who died last year at 73 deeply loved family members and friends in selfless and celebratory ways throughout his private life.
“It’s so hard to put what we had into words … it was a magical 47 years,” muses his widow, Barbara. That magic first sparked on the Fourth of July weekend of 1972 after an earlier meeting at Montclair State University during her student days. They married in 1973.
“I had no idea that Jimmy would be a politician when we first married!” Barbara adds with wide eyes. “He loved politics and he loved running campaigns.”
At the same time, Jim Iannone, the oldest of eight children, was devoted to his immediate family, says his spouse: “I was lucky to marry into such a big, warm, Italian family.”
Jim and Barbara Iannone with their daughters and sons-in-law: Dana and Duffy Hanna, Alexa and Jerry Stefan, and Erica and Casey McDonald.
Jim and Barbara Iannone with their daughter Dana Hanna’s family: son-in-law Duffy and grandchildren Jimmy, Freddy and Elise.
Generations of the Iannone family were also close geographically.
Their three daughters were lucky to live either behind or next door to their grandmother, Emma Iannone, during their formative years, Barbara Iannone says. The girls grew up in their father’s childhood Sea Isle City home, which Jim and Barbara purchased from his parents, Matthew and Emma, in 1978.
Barbara Iannone credits her mother-in-law for exemplifying how to handle widowhood with grace and for her endless generosity.
“Emma always shared food … sending over homemade pot pies or lasagna,” she says. Food was an important part of the Iannone family dynamics of simply sitting down together for a meal or celebrating a holiday, she explains.
Those holiday celebrations, especially Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, were “feasts” for as many as 50 people thanks to the joint efforts of family members. Like his mother, “Jimmy was a fantastic cook” who contributed a couple of his cooked turkeys and more to the group effort, Barbara recalls. Her husband was “a stickler for tradition” such as the Feast of the Seven Fishes at Christmastime, she adds. Jim Iannone also brought laughter to these feasts with lots of jokes in cahoots with his late brother Matt and their beloved Uncle Buddy.
“Our dad’s greatest gift was to gather people,” says daughter Dana Hanna. “I picture him with his head thrown back in laughter or giving bear hugs or slaps on the back.” At gatherings, “Dad was definitely the guy pouring more drinks and turning up the music,” she adds lovingly.
Daughter Alexa Stefan sums up life lessons learned directly from Dad: “He taught us to be polite always, to look people directly in the eye when you spoke to them, a firm handshake, show respect and always share a big warm smile.”
Daughter Erica McDonald describes other ways in which their father led his children by example. “We never heard him talk badly about anyone ever,” she says. “He did not gossip, he did not speak poorly of anyone.”
At the 2016 Around the World event in Sea Isle: from left, Joe Ramano, David Farina, Jim Iannone, Chris Glancey and Danny Otto.
And when it came to his girls, “Dad let us know that we could do anything; he was always on our side,” Hanna says. “Making him proud made us happy.”
Jim Iannone was Big Jim to his 10 grandchildren, ages 7 to 16. Their grandfather sometimes entertained them with magic tricks and card tricks, Stefan reminisces. He also supplied them with countless Oreos or mountains of whipped cream, hot fudge and jimmies on goodies, even after his daughters declared “no more dessert” to their children. When the Iannones’ grandchildren were born, Big Jim showed up at the hospital armed with donuts and cookie trays as treats for the nurses, McDonald recalls.
After Jim Iannone received his Roman Catholic last rites in July of 2020, he spoke to each grandchild individually. “Everybody got a little piece of his love before he died,” Hanna says. “You’ve got a grand shake, buddy!” Jim Iannone told one grandson after they shook hands. A granddaughter received a kiss and the words, “You are my sweetheart!”
“As a man, Dad was deeply grateful for all of the blessings in his life,” Hanna says.
Jim in the 2016 Sea Isle City Christmas parade.
Council member J.B. Feeley knew Jim Iannone as a close friend and longtime political pal. They came up together in politics starting in their 20s. Feeley was campaign manager for Jim Iannone during his 22 years serving as Sea Isle City’s commissioner. In time, they reversed roles with the former commissioner as the council member’s campaign manager.
“As always, he led the charge!” Feeley says.
During Jim Iannone’s five years as chairman of the Cape May County Democrats, “Jimmy was the guy you had to come see” if you were running for office in the region or state, Feeley says. Visiting pols included: Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Sen. Bill Bradley, Gov. James Florio, Gov. Jim McGreevey and Rep. William Hughes, among others.
When Jim Iannone led the South Jersey Transportation Authority, his top responsibilities were managing the Atlantic City Expressway and Atlantic City International Airport, Feeley notes. Upon his retirement from the SJTA, a plaque was mounted in his honor at the airport. The Iannone and Feeley families vacationed together annually by visiting Disney World at Eastertime, Feeley reminisces with a laugh: “Every time we went to Florida, we had to walk past his [airport] plaque!”
Though Feeley seems pleased about the pier and kayak launch behind Dealy Field bearing Iannone’s name, he’s not certain about how his friend would feel about it. When Jim Iannone finished his 22 years as Sea Isle City’s commissioner, there was an effort to rename 71st Street after him. “Jim said, ‘No way,’” Feeley recalls. “They still have the sign in their garage.”
Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio proposed naming the pier and kayak launch after Iannone, Feeley says. “And, the mayor is a Republican! Jimmy and I are Democrats,” Feeley adds. In separate interviews, Feeley and Desiderio each affirmed that political partisanship does not stand in the way of serving Sea Isle City’s citizens and town taxpayers.
Desiderio has no doubts about the appropriateness of the James R. Iannone Fishing Pier and Kayak Launch’s name. “The pier is a fitting tribute to Jim because of his commitment to local recreation and to activities that benefit the youth of our community,” the mayor says.
On a more personal note, “Jim and I were friends for 55 years,” Desiderio says. “We knew each other before politics.” Their local family businesses, the Iannones’ Sands Department Store and the Desiderios’ Sea Isle Inn and KIX Package Goods & Lounge are within close proximity.
“Jim was the kind of person who was comfortable with the governor or a neighbor or a new acquaintance,” the mayor muses. “He was the best of the best!”
All the more reason for those gathering for good times at the James R. Iannone Fishing Pier and Kayak Launch to tip their hats to the late Jimmy I.
