Acton, MA - Halifax, VT James J. Kotanchik was born in Newport News, Virginia, first son of Joseph N. Kotanchik and Mary Habura Kotanchik of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. He left for MIT when his parents moved from Newport News to Houston, Texas to work on the Apollo Man on the Moon project. He stayed in the Boston area after his degrees in Aeronautics and Astronomics and made a career in engineering and computer science. Appropriately, he died on the date of the landing of the last flight of the space program. He was husband of Judith Anthony Kotanchik, father of Lara Kotanchik of Acton, Meredith Kotanchik Dittmar and her husband Randy and grandsons Foster Cohen and Wesley Shaw Dittmar of Portland, Oregon; and to Amy Kotanchik Lienert and her husband Peter and granddaughter Ladina of Meien UR, Switzerland. He was brother of Joseph N. Kotanchik and his wife Susie of Kingwood, Texas and uncle to Joseph A. Kotanchik of Arlington, Virginia. His list of achievements and awards were many, but the most special to him involved his love of philately (stamp collecting) where he judged, exhibited, published and questioned its norms. His book in the area of his specialty, Post Office Seals of the United States and Possessions, was a source of great personal pride. He was chairman of the Board of Assessors in Acton for many years, he was faithful to his church. His bond to MIT and his fraternity brothers at Lambda Chi Alpha was tight and true to the end. Always one to enjoy inspired debate, Jim had a fiery spirit. His intense love for animals was eclipsed only by his devotion to his wife and daughters. He was, in all that he was, true to himself, true to his family, and true to his friends. He has met the measure of a good man and in his family's eyes, has exceeded it. A wake will be held at Dee Funeral Home in Concord on Tuesday evening from 7-9 p.m. and a memorial mass will be said in his honor at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Acton on Wednesday 7-27 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Museum or to the Arc of MA. Visitation: Visiting hours Tuesday July 26th from 7 to 9 pm in the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, CONCORD CENTER. Service: Funeral Mass Wednesday July 27th at 10 am in St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church, 89 Arlington St, Acton