James M. Dignon Jr passed away on May 15, 2025, at Terracina Grand in Naples Florida, just 4 days shy of his 90th birthday. Jim was born in Bronx, NY to James and Margaret (O’Kane) Dignon. He attended Cardinal Hayes High School where he discovered his love for the Church and a talent for drawing.

After graduating, he attended The Art Students' League of New York and studied with artists Louis Priscilla and later oil painting with Frank Mason. Mr. Mason’s Landscape Workshops lead Jim to Pownal Vermont where he found inspiration in its natural beauty and honed his skills as a fine artist. The classes also introduced him to fellow landscape artist, Anne Nichols whom he later married in 1959. The young couple lived in Gramercy Park, New York City selling their paintings on the street and in galleries.

Jim and Anne purchased a home on Mason Hill in Pownal and built an art studio. In 1962 their son, Hugh was born followed by a daughter, Diane in 1964. Inspired by Japanese prints Jim became interested in carving woodcuts and added a printing press to their art studio. When Hugh was old enough to attend school, the family moved full-time to their beloved Pownal home and enrolled Hugh at Pine Cobble School.

Jim founded the Mason Hill Press with Mark Livingston in 1974. Together they created hand-set letterpress books carefully hand-bound by Arno Werner and Tara Devereux. Each book was precisely designed with hand-drawn initials and wood-engraved illustrations. Jim produced about 10 books, mostly Biblical selections, which included The Psalms, Joel, Ezekiel, The First Epistle of John and Revelation as well as the Credo by the English printer, T.J. Cobden-Sanderson, The First Century of Thomas Traherne, Poems in Prose by Oscar Wilde and Country Poems by New York poet, K. K. Ditmas. Friends and family always looked forward to receiving Jim’s hand-printed Christmas cards celebrating the birth of Christ.

Jim and Anne learned to sail on an 18 ft. Westerly sloop and spent many happy summers with friends and family in a camp on Lake Champlain. In 1979, they purchased a sloop they could live aboard they named Alleluia. Together, they sailed her from Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence Seaway to Lake Champlain. Jim sailed her in every kind of weather for 32 years.

Jim was devoted to the Church. Jim and Anne attended regularly and traveled extensively with a group lead by Father William Cyr of St. Patrick’s Church in Williamstown. Jim and Anne painted scores of watercolors on their travels around Europe, sailing in the Caribbean, and on Lake Champlain.

In January 2010 Anne passed away after a long illness. Grieving, Jim turned to the Church for comfort. That spring he looked up at the choir and his heart opened to Jean Bannish. He asked her to join him for a home-cooked dinner and she accepted. They married at St. Patrick's that September. Jim and Jean spent nearly 8 happy years together until Jean’s death in 2018.

Jim’s life touched many people in the community: He was generous to a fault and loved treating friends to lunch or dinner. He loved classic movies and rare books, hot jazz and gospel music, dinner and dancing, sailing and swimming, playing poker and shooting pool, he was crazy about dogs. And mostly he loved Christ and was a true believer. Jim leaves behind his 2 children, Hugh and Diane and countless friends who loved him.

A Liturgy of Christian Burial for James M. Dignon Jr. will be celebrated on Friday, May 23, 2025 at 11:00 at St. Patrivk's Church in Williamstown. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery, Pownal, Vt. Calling hours are Thursday, May 22, 2025 from 4-6 p.m. at the Flynn & Dagnoli Funeral Home, WEST CHAPELS, 521 West Main St. North Adams, MA. Donations may be made to the Williamstown Food Pantry in care of the funeral hme. To add to the Book of memories please visit flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com.