Saratoga Springs, NY -James F. Vreeland, III, 62, died peacefully of natural causes in Saratoga Springs, NY, on August 6, 2021. James was born July 30, 1959, in Montgomery, Alabama, to Joan Delafield and James F. Vreeland Jr. He graduated from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn, New York, in 1977 and attended Smithdeal Massey Business Institute under the affirmative action program in 1979.

In 1980, he married Jenny Lee Vreeland in Richmond, VA. They honeymooned in a remote teepee near Virginia Beach. Both worked in a soup kitchen feeding the homeless at the Creative Community for Non-Violence in DC. They had four children together: Sara, Chelsea, James (Jake), and Amelia (Amy). James' younger brother, Gregg, came to live with his family for many years, before his brother tragically passed away in 1996.

James worked at Janitronics for 20 years before starting his own company, Skill Clean. He is remembered by his children for watching David Attenborough specials and 90s hip hop videos in the bedroom he kept cool and dark. He attended every sports game and coached several Bellevue Little League teams. He cheered loudly. He was active in the Schenectady School District PTA for many years. James and his wife separated in 2003. He and his son Jake moved out together and worked, played, and loved together in a small apartment in Halfmoon, NY. He became estranged from his family in 2008. He struggled through addiction, culminating in a coma. Over the next decade, he touched the lives of many. He became sober and began working with addicts to start piecing their lives together. He used his dark humor to connect with those in times of pain.

He graduated with an Associates in Human Services in 2016 from Schenectady County Community College. A few days before his death, he sat on his porch with 7 of his 8 grandchildren. He told his family he spent many hours sitting on that porch for the last several years.  He is survived by his wife, Jenny Vreeland; his four children, Sara Bush of Raleigh, NC, Chelsea Abe of Catharines, VA, Jake Vreeland of Clifton Park, NY, and Amelia Vreeland of Orange City, FL; his grandchildren, Dietrich, Leeloo, Reese, and Penelope Abe; Zander and Zephyr Wolff; and Jacob and Jace Vreeland. He is also survived by his mother, Joan Delafield; his brothers, Daniel Chapin and Brett Chapin; and sister, Tammy Chapin. His mother-in-law, Susan Smith, always supported and loved him; and Linda Tote, a friend who never neglected to wish him Happy Birthday.

A virtual memorial service will be held Wednesday, October 20th, 2021, 4pm ET. You can join using the Zoom link: https://15five.zoom.us/j/96924243644

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV), 425 Mitch Snyder Place (2nd St.), NW Washington, DC 20001, in the form of money or goods.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com .