North Andover - James D. Shine 74, of North Andover, died Monday at High Point House in Haverhill.

James was born in Lawrence on July 15, 1946 to the late Daniel J. and Catherine T. (Mahoney) Shine.

He was a graduate of Central Catholic High School and Merrimack College.

James is survived by sisters, Mary McArthur and her husband, William of Haverhill, Kathleen Shine Cain and her husband, James of Wakefield, and Patricia Shine and her companion, Hans Horikx of Haverhill; brother Daniel J. Shine and his wife Rosanne of Andover; and several nieces and nephews.

To say that Jimmy Shine wore a number of hats during his working life wouldn't be quite accurate. He actually wore a number of aprons, ties, and waders. Throughout his college years he endured the heat of Val's kitchen as a short order cook, after graduation trading the apron for the jacket and tie of an insurance adjustor. That was followed by a stint on a tuna fishing boat and finally a career as a bartender, restaurant manager, and waiter. His real vocation, however, was—as one of his younger great-nephews recently put it—Amazing Uncle. Also known as Handsome Uncle Jim (a name he gave himself to distinguish him from Funny Uncle Jim), he always began his Christmas shopping for nieces and nephews, and later great-nieces and great-nephews, in July, intent on finding the perfect gift for each. Every August he came to Salisbury Beach armed with rolls of quarters for the kiddos to lavish on skeeball at Midway Arcade and Joe's Playland, earning tickets to trade in for those sparkly treasures behind the counter. Each child would profess with the utmost confidence that they were his favorite—and they'd all be right. His siblings will remember him as a loving son and brother, an avid reader, a Jeopardy junkie, and the steward of a vast repository of arcane knowledge. But the youngsters know that his true legacy will always be amazing, Handsome Uncle Jim.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, July 15 (Jimmy's 75th birthday) at 11 a.m., followed by a noon funeral service at the Conte Funeral Home, 17 Third Street, North Andover. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Merrimack Valley Hospice, 360 Merrimack Street, Bldg. 9 Lawrence, MA 01843 https://www.homehealthfoundation.org/.For directions or to offer online condolences please visit www.contefuneralhomes.com.