James Michael Taugher

James Michael Taugher

March 21st, 1964- February 20th, 2025

To know Jim was to love him. Ask anyone and they will all say the same thing: Jim was such a kind person. A truly goodhearted, caring, and loving person. A gentle soul who loved people and wanted everyone to be happy and taken care of. Jim enjoyed nothing more than being with his loved ones, having fun and hosting them. It is with a deep sadness and a soft sense of peace that we announce his death.

On the morning of February 20th, 2025, Jim Taugher died peacefully in his sleep while comfortable at home and sleeping in his own bed. Recently released from the hospital and awaiting a double lung transplant, his suffering came to a relieving end. Jim battled systemic autoimmune conditions and an autoimmune-related lung disease for 16 years.

A lifelong resident of South Hadley, Jim was raised in a beautiful big Irish-American family. Born in 1964 to Charles "Chuck" Taugher and Joann (O'Rourke) Taugher, Jim was the youngest of six children and grew up playing sports and adventuring through town with his many friends. He played football for South Hadley High, and fell in love with his best friend and wife Robin (Remlin) Taugher. Jim went to UMass Amherst and graduated with a BA in Accounting. While in college, Jim cherished his job as a park officer for Buttery Brook Park. After obtaining his degree, he worked as an accountant at General Electric in Windsor, CT (formerly Alstom, formerly ABB) for 30 years. Jim and Robin had two kids, Amanda and Zachery. Jim always joined in to play with the kids, pulling Amanda and Zack over jumps in the sled and playing basketball with them in the driveway. Summers were spent on epic family trips to Cape Cod; Dennisport with the Remlins and Brewster with the Taughers. After the Cape Cod era, camping became a staple of Jim and Robin's time together. All summer long, the two would venture to their seasonal campsites, for 10 years in Savoy and 13 more years in Willington, CT. Over the years, many friends and family joined Jim at camp for nights spent stargazing, telling stories by the fire, good music, and good drinks. Always an entertainer, Jim was known as the bartender of his site when hosting friends and family at camp.

Jim is predeceased by his parents, Chuck and Joann, his father-in-law John “Jack” Remlin, and his sister Trisha (Taugher) Nelen. Here missing him and honoring his memory are his wife Robin (Remlin) Taugher, his daughter Amanda and grandson Xander, his son Zachery, Zack's fiancee Marissa Crooks, and granddaughter Sienna, Jim's siblings and siblings-in-law Cathy and Paul Dion, David and Rita Taugher, Kevin and Helen Taugher, Maureen and Steve Couture, Karen (Remlin) and Stephen Nigro, Chris and Cheryl Remlin, his nieces and nephews Kyle Nelen, Christina (Nelen) Metcalfe, Scott Dion, Braedy, Sam, Patrick, and Abbe Taugher, Michael Taugher, Meghan (Taugher) Sheehy, Carolyn (Taugher) St. Andre, Adam and Jonathan Remlin, Jared and Matthew Nigro, and all of his nieces’ and nephews’ spouses and children.

Jim will be so very missed. As his illness progressed he lost his ability to breathe, to walk, to laugh, to find joy in the little things. He lost his spirit and playfulness. It has been a long and painful road for all who witnessed his light dim as his suffering progressed. We are all comforted to know that he is now at peace, finished fighting and suffering and finally able to breathe deeply again. His wife Robin sees him sitting on the beach, face to the sun, listening to the ocean waves. Others see him sitting by the campfire, drink in hand and music on. I see him cruising down the road listening to Rock 102, taking in the sights. Wherever he is to you, know that he is happy, he is free, and he can breathe easy.

With love,

The Taughers

-A celebration of Jim's life will be hosted in his honor at Buttery Brook Park in South Hadley on Saturday, June 7th. We would love to see you there! Jim always focused on the happiness of others, and decided that he couldn't bear the weight of us gathering in sorrow for a funeral. He requested that when the time came we gather with joy and love, to celebrate him at a party in true Jim fashion.

-There is a GoFundMe set up in Robin Taugher's name for those who would like to donate to honor Jim and help Robin rebuild financially. You can search by name or visit this link: https://gofund.me/6267a274