He was a senior at Somers High School, earned his first varsity letter in golf as an eighth-grader, and competed in Junior Tournaments in the Met PGA and Hurricane Golf Tour events in Florida.
He won both the Junior Club Championship and Parent/Child Championship at Mount Kisco Country Club several times.
In addition, he was a hardworking and popular caddy at both Mount Kisco and Alpine Country Clubs.
"He was also very mechanically inclined," according to his obituary. "He loved building custom golf clubs and repairing electronics.
"His greatest passion was his artwork. His anime drawings and sculptures amazed us not only for their quality and beauty but also his imagination."
James is survived by his parents, James and Eileen Farina; his sisters Grace and Claudia (Farina); his grandparents Peter and Celine (Von Esch); his aunts Melissa Farina, Kristina Von Esch and her husband Robert Mauriello, Kerry Von Esch, Erica and her husband John (Weathers); and cousins Jack, Madeline, and Bo (Concannon), Sophia and Rosalie (DeBlase), Robert, Matthew, and Luke (Mauriello).
James’ family will receive friends on Sunday, Feb. 21 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Clark Associates Funeral Home in Katonah.
There will be a private mass and burial.
In lieu of flowers, a scholarship is being set up in his memory at Somers High School or donations can be made to St. Luke’s Food Pantry in Somers (slcsomers.org).
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