Queensbury
James Arthur Sidusky, 76 passed away on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, 2020. He
passed due to a motorcycle accident. He suffered from a heart attack while on the bike.
Born on May 20, 1944 in Granville NY, he was the son of Arthur and Marjory (Baker)
Sidusky.
Jim grew up in West Pawlet, VT and Hudson Falls, NY. He graduated from Hudson
Falls High School in 1965. He then joined the Navy and proudly served our country from
1965 until 1969. He was a Vietnam Veteran. During the four years he served, he was
aboard a nuclear sub tender and a Destroyer. He became a machinist and continued that
trade throughout most of his life. Upon returning from the Navy, he also graduated from
Adirondack Community College with a degree in Architectural design.
On November 23, 1974, he married Judy A. Foster at The Church of St. Mary’s - St.
Paul’s, formerly known as The Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hudson Falls, NY.
For most of his career as a machinist, he worked on Prynn’s Island in Glens Falls at two
large machine shops, making valves for paper companies. In the early 1970’s he worked
for a company named Ahlstrom, which sent him, his wife Judy and their daughter
Kimberly over to Finland to live for a short time while he trained on new machines. He
then joined the team at Neles-Jamesbury, and stayed with them until they moved out of
state. He retired in June of 2015 from The Glens Falls Country Club, where he worked
many years doing all of the maintenance on their machines.
Jim was very proud of the beautiful log home that he built himself for his family in Lake
Luzerne. He skidded all the cedar and hemlock logs with help from his brother John and
his brother in law Ken. He trucked the logs down the northway for weeks using a 1952
Chevy one and a half ton dump truck he owned. During one of the hauls, he blew the
motor. Within the next couple of days he replaced the engine right there where it sat at a
rest area not far from Schroon Lake. He poured the foundation with the help of
neighbors from around Hartman Hill, and then spent the next few years building the
house in his spare time.
Jim had a love for motorcycles, older Saab’s and airplanes. He owned three
Harley-Davidson’s at the time of his death, one being his 1952 Panhead that he bought
while he was in high school. He chopped the bike and rode it for years with his wife and
children. His favorite bike to ride these days was his 1996 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. He
loved being on a bike. He enjoyed taking a ride to any historical place, or just showing
you around his old stomping grounds. Jim and his wife took many trips on the Harley
with their dear friends Joe & Fran Podnorszki.
Jim’s love for older Saab’s stretched over many years. He loved the design and the
attention to detail that the older ones had, right down to the wipers on the headlights.
He liked the idea of being able to get 300,000 miles out of an engine. And best of all, no
car payment, which was very important to him. He spent many days and nights at
Jonathan William’s garage working on Saab’s and other projects. Jonathan helped Jim
with any project he wanted to tackle.
Jim owned a 1946 Ercoupe. He bought it and did a complete restoration on it. He had
help from a friend, Mike Lamphere during the restoration. He also owned a Fly Baby
that he planned to restore and sell. It was on the long list of things he wanted to do. Jim
was an active member of The EAA 353. This chapter has many events that Jim and Judy
were involved in. They had monthly Fly in’s on the island in Fort Edward. They would
enjoy these get-togethers with friends Bill & Trudy Scheidegger. Jim also enjoyed
helping with the Young Eagles program each year.
Jim kept his Ercoupe at Argyle Airport 1C3. His many friends Dick, Mike, Bruce and
Gene enjoyed working with him there. Although he had flown his plane, he spent most
days over there working on getting his Light Sport Pilot’s license so he could fly his
plane solo. Dick Bovey said that “Jim isn’t a student pilot anymore. He finally has his
wings.”
Jim spent many years being part of the Butler Motorsports Pit Crew. His grandson
Aaron raced go-karts, and Jim was involved from day one. From sponsoring them each
year, to showing up every Saturday, he was an intricate part of the team. His knowledge
and dedication was second to none. He loved the competition, the friends that we made
at the track, and most importantly the tailgating that we enjoyed at every race. It was
something that Jim and Judy looked forward to each race season.
Jim was very proud of his entire family, children and grandchildren. His only
granddaughter Samantha became a nurse on Thursday June 25, 2020, just five days
after his passing. We find comfort in knowing that he had planned on watching her
graduate, and how proud he was of her accomplishments and future goals.
Jim fought a long courageous battle against Esophageal Cancer beginning in January of
2017. He went through radiation and chemotherapy treatments as well as a life changing
surgery. With much determination to beat it, he did. He would attend the Relay for Life
each year to celebrate the fact that he was a survivor, and remember many close friends
and family members that were not so lucky. We looked forward to celebrating 3 years of
remission this August.
Although Jim worked very hard his entire life, he always made sure to take time out to
enjoy the simple things. Jim taught both Kimberly and Scott to ski at Hidden Valley
Ranch Ski Area in Lake Luzerne , and went on to enjoy West Mountain which was right
down the road from their house. Many mountains in New York, and Vermont were skied
by Jim and his children over the years. When the children were young, he looked
forward to 4th of July get-togethers at the camp on Johnson Pond. The family would go
up north every year and have a big cook out. Then the entire family would head to the
Schroon Lake Parade and then enjoy the fireworks. Jim also enjoyed yearly trips to The
Champlain Valley Fair where they would head out and stay for a long weekend. Also
vacations to Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts over the years.
In recent years he loved family get-togethers with food and fun. He loved Judy’s potato
salad, and would eat anything on the grill but chicken. He enjoyed traveling to New
Hampshire to spend time with Scott and Philip. They would travel to train shows,
antique snowmobile shows and groomer shows together often. He loved spending time
at camp. He would sit in the screened in porch or ride around on the pontoon boat. It is
the family's favorite spot.
Jim was just an all around great man. He was liked by whoever was lucky enough to
know him. He was funny, caring and giving. He had “the patience of Job”. He was a
tinkerer in his spare time. He enjoyed building things, working on equipment and fixing
just about anything. He was the one you would go to if you needed a part made, or help
figuring out what's wrong with your lawnmower. He would gladly stop whatever he was
doing and help you. His most current project was helping to rebuild a 1979 GMC pick-up
with his grandson and son in law. Aaron will continue the rebuild, having the ideas and
insight from his Grandpa to carry on with the project.
“We will miss his smile, his rosey cheeks. We will miss his patience and loving ways. We
will miss the stories that he told, that we had already heard once or twice. We will miss
his knowledge and know that we are all a better version of ourselves because he was a
part of our life.”
Jim was predeceased by his father Arthur K. Sidusky in 1988 and his mother Marjory B.
Sidusky in 2018. He also lost his brother John A. Sidusky in 2017.
Left to cherish his wonderful legacy are his wife, Judy A. Sidusky, his daughter and son
in law, Kimberly & Bill Butler of Queensbury, his son, Scott Sidusky & Stacy Richardson
of Webster NH. Grandchildren Samantha Butler and Aaron Butler of Queensbury and
Philip Sidusky of Webster NH. He is also survived by his brother Michael Sidusky and
his wife Kathy of Fort Edward, his sister in law Betsey Sidusky of Argyle and his brother
in law Kenneth Foster and his wife Thelma of North Hudson. He is also survived by
many cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends that became as close as family.
The family would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who helped us on Sunday,
June 21, 2020. Thank you to Lake George EMS, Lake George Fire Department, State
Trooper Casey and State Trooper Armstrong from the Queensbury Troop G, also our
family friend who came to help our entire family that day, Investigator Pooler from the
ICAC unit at the State Trooper headquarters in Albany. Tyson Converse, Annie and Tom
Provencher who were behind the bike in traffic and the first ones to help Jim and Judy,
LifeNet 7-13 out of Ticonderoga NY, and many good samaritans that pulled over to help
in any way they could.
Friends may call from 2 to 5pm on Sunday, September 27, 2020 at the M.B. Kilmer Funeral Home, 82 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828. Due to the states regulations we can only have 40 people or less in the funeral home at a time. When arriving at the funeral home, please check with parking lot attendant and remain in your vehicle until you are directed in. Masks and social distancing are required.
To honor Jim's love for motorcycles, the family asks that if you have a bike and would like to ride, please arrive at the Funeral Home at 11:00 AM on Monday. We will then head to National Cemetery and enjoy one last ride with Jim.
Services with military honors will be conducted at 12 noon at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National cemetery, Duel Road, Schuylerville.
We would also like to thank Albany Medical Center Emergency Room, Surgical Unit,
ICU, and Trauma Unit, Mohawk Transportation and everyone who has helped at Fort
Hudson Rehabilitation Unit with Judy’s recovery.
Memorial contributions can be made in Jim’s name to Lake George EMS and or Lake
George Fire Department.