James C. Kaddaras, a 56-year resident of Melrose, died peacefully in his sleep Wednesday evening, March 15, 2006 at the Elmhurst Nursing Home in Melrose. Jim Kaddaras was born in Peabody on July 9, 1912, the son of the late Christos D. Kardaras and Polytime (Economopoulou) Kardaras, who had emigrated from Greece a few years earlier.He grew up in Lynn, and as the oldest son in the family, often represented and interpreted for his parents as they made their way in the new world.With the encouragement of his mother, Mr. Kaddaras attended Northeastern University at night for six years while working days in a North End grocery business to help support his family.He graduated in 1936 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.After holding positions in a number of local companies, he opened his own accounting practice in 1944 and was a self-employed accountant for 40 years.His experience of the Depression shaped Mr. Kaddaras's world view and made him a lifelong New Deal Democrat.To the end of his life,Jim read a newspaper daily and maintained a keen interest in U.S. politics and world affairs. He was known for his dry but piercing humor and his ability to sum up current events in unerring one-liners. On the eight years of Reagonomics, for example, he observed: What's so hard about earning eighty cents and spending a dollar?On the current president's management skills, he noted: That guy couldn't organize a two-car funeral.Mr. Kaddaras was a life-long Red Sox fan and witnessed the 2004 World Series victory with both elation and disbelief.He took a dim view of today's player attitudes, but was even tougher on Red Sox managers, for whom the defense of justifiable homicide was always close at hand.His real passion, though, was horse racing.With a Melrose neighbor, he owned the Kenset Stables in the 1950s and ran horses at the leading New England tracks of the time.He began frequenting race tracks in the 1930s and continued to attend meets regularly until illness overtook him in recent years.Mr. Kaddaras was a lifelong member of the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn, a founding director of the Gerondelis Foundation, and a member of the Alpha Omega Society.He was also a member of the Masonic orders and reached the level of 32nd degree Shriner. Jim was the beloved husband of the late Lucille (Flamburis) Kaddaras. Theloving father of James C. Kaddaras, Jr. of Somerville.He is also survived by 13 nieces and nephews.
