Obituary: James M. Daly, 62; Led a Team of Software Engineers Who Developed the Parallel Vector Tile Optimizing Library Using His Eyes to Operate a Computer Keyboard

Obituary from Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home.

James M. Daly, 62, died at his home surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. He was the beloved husband of Magda Daly.

Born in Salem in 1953 to Richard E. Daly and the late Louise B. (McCarthy) Daly, he was educated locally at St. Mary’s Grammar School and St. John’s Prep (’71).

Jim was proud to follow in his father’s footsteps by attending St. John’s and then Boston College where he graduated in 1975 with a BA degree in mathematics and again in 1978 with an MA in mathematics. At Boston College Jim played rugby for four years and was elected captain of Boston College’s Rugby Club.

Shortly after he graduated Jim was elected as a member of the Salem City Council.

For the last 30 years of his life Jim worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory, much of that time with Solidus Technical Solutions, a defense contractor involved in highly classified government projects.

Jim loved life and was very devoted to his wife and two sons, his large extended family, and large number of lifelong friends. He enjoyed vacation trips with family and friends. He also relished an occasional gambling stint. In fact he spoke with some satisfaction of one defining experience—he was banned by a major casino in Atlantic City for card counting.

Jim’s friends included childhood pals of 50 years, rugby chums of 30 years, and great relationships from his workplace.

From the mid 1970s to the late 1980s Jim dedicated much of his spare time to rugby and captained the Old Gold Rugby Football Club. Its members subsequently elected Jim to their Hall of Fame in 2004.

In 2005 Jim received some very bad news that he handled with extraordinary courage and dignity. He was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He decided to prolong his life in order to support his young family. He did this for over nine years with the incredible support and nursing care of his wife Magda. In fact, using only his eye movements to operate a computer keyboard, he led a team of software engineers that developed the Parallel Vector Tile Optimizing Library. R&D Magazine selected Jim’s software as one of the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year.

In addition to his wife Magda and his father Richard, Jim is survived by his sons John and Matthew, his brother Dennis and wife Joanne, sister Mary-Lou Daly, brother Richard and wife Joyce, brother Kevin and wife Maria, sister Kathleen Bonaiuto and husband Michael Bonaiuto, sister Anne Marie Conners and husband William Conners, sister Margaret Crateau and husband Daniel Crateau, brother Matthew and many nieces, nephews and other close family members.

The Daly Family requests that donations be made to: The Angel Fund (ALS Research), 649 Main St. Wakefield MA 01880.