SEELEY, III, JAMES J.
SEELEY, III, JAMES J., 59 - well known and respected Bridgeton attorney, died Wednesday morning July 13, 2005 at his home after several months of declining health. He was a long time resident of Greenwich.
Mr. Seeley was the husband of Alexis Mary Seeley and they had been married for 37 years. He was the father of James J. Seeley IV (Kristin) of Centerville, MA, Thomas E. Seeley, Esq. of Hopewell Township, Elizabeth M. Seeley of Philadelphia and Alexis K. Seeley of NY. He is also survived by Jim and Kristin's daughter, Samantha Ryan Seeley.
He was born in Camden and graduated from high school in Delaware Township (now Cherry Hill). His undergraduate education occurred at the University of Georgia and at Rutgers University. He later matriculated at Duke Law School where he served as editor and chief of the Duke Law School Journal and graduated as the number one ranked student in his class. He was admitted to the bar in New Jersey in 1969, Pennsylvania in 1972 and Delaware in 1974.
Mr. Seeley practiced law in Bridgeton until recently and was widely regarded as one of New Jersey's foremost experts on Zoning and Planning Laws and Environmental Law. He practiced in his early years with Judge George H. "Skip" Stanger and later with his son Thomas. From 1969 until 1979, he was a professor at Rutgers University in the areas of Environmental, Constitutional, Evidence, Trial Practice, Federal Civil Procedure, Land Use and Zoning, and Municipal Board Member Law. From 1980 until the present he had been a Co adjunct Professor on zoning and planning at Rutgers and an Adjunct Professor on Land Use and Zoning at Widener University Law School.
He was a trusted source of legal expertise in areas of Planning and Zoning and represented zoning and/or planning boards or was the municipal solicitor in Greenwich, Hopewell, Stow Creek, Shiloh, Bridgeton, Deerfield, Upper Deerfield, Maurice River and Bass River Townships. In addition, he was the first general Counsel to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He also was a special counsel to the NJ Assembly Judiciary Committee and held memberships in the Cumberland County, New Jersey and American Bar Associations.
His expertise with the law was only surpassed by his love for his family and the environment. Mr. Seeley was a dedicated supporter and coach for over 20 years in the Cohansey Soccer League. He also helped for a number of years at West Cumberland Little League and particularly as a manager for girls softball.
Mr. Seeley was always sensitive to the environment and lived and raised his family in Greenwich. He loved the surroundings of nature and was a true outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He and his wife, Alexis were supporters of the arts and he was always ready to lend assistance at the Gallery 50 in Bridgeton.
Friends will be received at the Freitag Funeral Home, 137 W. Commerce Street in Bridgeton on Monday July 18 from 9 until 11. At 11 o'clock a memorial service will be held and will be conducted in the manor of the Religious Society of Friends. Cremation and inurnment will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested in Mr. Seeley's memory to the Cohansey Soccer Club, P.O. Box 5095, Seabrook, NJ 08302.
Written condolences and tributes may be offered to the family using the funeral home website: freitagfuneralhome.com
Published in The Press of Atlantic City, (NJ) - July 15, 2005
James J. Seeley III, well known and respected Bridgeton attorney died Wednesday morning July 13, 2005 at his home after several months of declining health. He was 59 and was a longtime resident of Greenwich.
Mr. Seeley was the husband of Alexis Mary Seeley and they had been married for thirty-seven years. He was the father of James J. Seeley IV (Kristin) of Centerville, Md., Thomas E. Seeley, Esq. of Hopewell Township, Elizabeth M. Seeley of Philadelphia and Alexis K. Seeley of New York. He is also survived by Jim and Kristin's daughter, Samantha Ryan Seeley.
He was born in Camden and graduated from high school in Delaware Township (now Cherry Hill). His undergraduate education occurred at the University of Georgia and at Rutgers University. He later matriculated at Duke Law School where he served as editor and chief of the Duke Law School Journal and graduated as the number one ranked student in his class. He was admitted to the bar in New Jersey in 1969, Pennsylvania in 1972 and Delaware in 1974.
Mr. Seeley practiced law in Bridgeton until recently and was widely regarded as one of New Jersey's foremost experts on Zoning and Planning Laws and Environmental Law. He practiced in his early years with Judge George H. "Skip" Stanger and later with his son Thomas. From 1969 until 1979, he was a professor at Rutgers University in the areas of Environmental, Constitutional, Evidence, Trial Practice, Federal Civil Procedure, Land Use and Zoning, and Municipal Board Member Law. From 1980 until the present he had been a Co adjunct Professor on zoning and planning at Rutgers and an Adjunct Professor on Land Use and Zoning at Widener University Law School.
He was a trusted source of legal expertise in areas of Planning and Zoning and represented zoning and/or planning boards or was the municipal solicitor in Greenwich, Hopewell, Stow Creek, Shiloh, Bridgeton, Deerfield, Upper Deerfield, Maurice River and Bass River Townships. In addition, he was the first general Counsel to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He also was a special counsel to the N.J. Assembly Judiciary Committee and held memberships in the Cumberland County, New Jersey and American Bar Associations.
His expertise with the law was only surpassed by his love for his family and the environment. Mr. Seeley was a dedicated supporter and coach for over twenty years in the Cohansey Soccer League. He also helped for a number of years at West Cumberland Little League and particularly as a manager for girl's softball.
Mr. Seeley was always sensitive to the environment and lived and raised his family in Greenwich. He loved the surroundings of nature and was a true outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing. He and his wife, Alexis were supporters of the arts and he was always ready to lend assistance at the Gallery 50 in Bridgeton.
Friends will be received at the FREITAG FUNERAL HOME, 137 W. Commerce Street in Bridgeton on Monday July 18 from 9 until 11. At 11 o'clock a memorial service will be held and will be conducted in the manor of the Religious Society of Friends. Cremation and inurnment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested in Mr. Seeley's memory to the Cohansey Soccer Club, P.O. Box 5095, Seabrook, N.J. 08302.
Published in the Bridgeton News (NJ) - July 15, 2005
Seeley tributes pour in
GREENWICH TWP. - Mr. James J. Seeley, who served as solicitor of Bridgeton and most of the county's municipal governments and/or planning boards at some point over the last 30-plus years, was found dead in his home Wednesday morning.
Mr. Seeley, 59, reportedly had taken his own life.
At 9:33 a.m., state police troopers arrived at a home on Old Mill Road, where Mr. Seeley lived, and learned that a 59-year-old male resident of the home "had taken his life," state police Capt. Albert Della Fave said Wednesday afternoon.
Della Fave would not confirm the victim's identity or the cause of death, citing concerns for the privacy of the victim's family.
However, several other sources have confirmed that the victim was Mr. Seeley. Also, the date of birth provided by Della Fave for the victim is the same as Mr. Seeley's.
Born in Camden on July 17, 1945, Mr. Seeley earned his law degree from Duke University in 1969, according to biographical information on www.lawyers.com. He also was educated at the University of Georgia and Rutgers University.
Mr. Seeley practiced in many areas of the legal field, including environmental law, products liability law, zoning and planning law, municipal law, civil litigation, wills, estates and personal injury.
The only municipalities in the county that Mr. Seeley never represented as municipal, zoning board and/or planning board solicitor or special counsel during his career were Vineland and Millville.
"He wore a lot of hats, that's for sure," said Chester Riland, mayor of Downe Township, where Seeley served as solicitor for about a decade.
"He'd become an icon down here," said Greenwich Vice Mayor Daniel Hancock, a longtime friend and colleague of Mr. Seeley.
Mr. Seeley served as Greenwich's solicitor since 1974, beginning shortly after Hancock became an elected official.
"He will be terribly missed. He was a wonderful man. He's one of the finest men I'll ever know," said Hancock, who recalled hunting, fishing and camping trips with Mr. Seeley and his family. "He would do anything for anybody. He certainly was a charitable soul. He understood the human race and human nature, and certainly regarded everyone as a decent human being."
"Myself and my family will deeply miss him as will his friends and the residents of Greenwich," Hancock added.
George H. Stanger Jr., the recently retired assignment judge for Cumberland, Salem and Gloucester counties' courts, was Mr. Seeley's law partner from 1975 to 1983. The office of Stanger & Seeley was located at West Commerce and Giles streets.
"He was a brilliant lawyer. Tenacious. A very humorous individual, fun-loving," Stanger said. "We were best friends when we were practicing together, and we remained best friends right up until (Wednesday)."
Unfortunately, Mr. Seeley, a man who by all accounts gave so much of his time to so many communities over the years, won't be able to join Stanger and other friends in retirement.
"Everyone is just in a state of shock," Hancock said, "because he certainly deserved his retirement years."
Many municipal officials Mr. Seeley had worked with over the years, including Hancock, were shocked to learn of his death. They will remember him as a great attorney and even better man.
"It was a loss to the city when Jim had to give up the solicitorship. It's a huge void now in the city that a great man won't be with us anymore," said Bridgeton City Council President John Ewing, who knew Seeley for about 15 years. "My prayers are with his wife, Alexis, and his children."
Mr. Seeley served as Bridgeton's solicitor from November 2002 through early January, at which time he resigned due to ongoing health issues, city officials said at the time. Seeley also had resigned from a number of other municipal solicitor positions he had held at the end of 2004.
"I deeply regret the passing of this very able and very professional attorney," said Bridgeton Mayor Michael Pirolli. "He was a very good man, and I know I speak for all of council as well as myself in sending our deepest condolences to his family.
"We will deeply mourn this loss. ... He helped a lot of people."
Riland, the Downe Township mayor, said, "He'll be sorely missed. He was a gentleman and a consummate professional. ... Our sympathy goes to his family."
Although he never represented Millville in any capacity, Mr. Seeley's reputation as an attorney and as a man was known around the Holly City.
"He had a great disposition," said Millville Mayor Jim Quinn, who recalled Mr. Seeley's unsuccessful run for state Assembly in 1981. "A good sense of humor. It was always great being around him."
Hancock remembered Mr. Seeley as a family man, recalling that he was always involved in his children's lives, particularly as a sports coach.
"He was just a great family man. All of the kids graduated from college. He was a soccer coach, he coached baseball. ... They all loved sports. They were all excellent athletes, and that was, of course, because Jim and Alexis were wonderful parents."
Staff writer Sandra Johnson-Bohannan contributed to this report.
Published in the Bridgeton News (NJ) - July 14, 2005
James Seeley: Park to honor Seeley
GREENWICH TWP. - The will establish a memorial garden honoring the late James Seeley at the corner of Ye Greate Street and Bridgeton-Greenwich Road.
Seeley had been a longtime solicitor for the township until his death earlier this summer.
Mayor C. Wallis Goodwin noted that flowers, trees, a memorial bench, and bulletin board have been offered, along with a number of volunteers for the design and labor necessary for the project.
The property is actually owned by Cumberland County, but Committeeman Ted Kiefer told the committee he had been assured there would be no opposition to the plantings and improvements as a public park.
Published in the Bridgeton News (NJ) - September 13, 2005
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