James M. Byrnes

Retired teacher and coach James M. Byrnes passed away suddenly and peacefully Saturday, March 2 at the age of 71. A long-time resident of Medford, Jim had recently moved to Brewster to enjoy a retirement of doting on his grandchildren and biking and golfing on Cape Cod.

After graduating from Boston State College, Jim began a teaching career in the Medford Public Schools. His love of basketball led him to becoming the junior varsity coach at Medford High School. He took a hiatus from teaching and coaching to work at the Stouffers Bedford Glen hotel, where he helped found and direct the Stouffers High Tech 10k Classic, a road race which raised thousands of dollars for charity. After a short stint as head basketball coach at Middlesex Community College, he returned to teaching and coaching at Bedford High School, where he was named the boys head basketball coach in 1994.

His Bedford teams won 243 games in his twenty-year run and went to the post-season 15 consecutive years. After retiring from coaching, he was elected to the Bedford High School Hall of Fame. As proud as he was of his team's success, he was even prouder of the life-long relationships he forged with the young men he was fortunate to coach over the years. Coach Byrnes always treated winning as secondary to preparing his players to be successful in life.

Jim's greatest love and pride was for his family. He is survived by his children Colin Byrnes and Haley (Byrnes) Moriconi; their mother Janice (Apple) Byrnes; his grandchildren Aiden John and Alexis Joy Byrnes, and Dennis Moriconi IV; his son-in-law Dennis Moriconi; his mother-in-law Elie and the extended LeBlanc family, and many relatives, friends, former students and players.

His Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 118 High St, Medford on Monday, March 11 at 11:30am. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald-Finnegan Funeral Home, 322 Main St., Stoneham on Sunday, March 10 from 1-4PM. 

The family has created the Coach Jim Byrnes Memorial Scholarship, to be granted annually to a graduating member of the Bedford High School boys and girls basketball teams who best exemplify the spirit of the program built by Coach Byrnes. Donations to this fund in lieu of flowers would be much appreciated. Donations can be made online at https://gofund.me/3dc95cc5. Checks can also be made payable to Coach Jim Byrnes Memorial Scholarship Fund and mailed to Bedford High School, care of Keith Mangan. 9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA 01730.