James R.A Mafko

James Randolph Anthony Mafko, 74, died at home after a short illness on February 11, 2017. James is survived by his daughter, Katherine Mafko Baclaski of Forks, Washington, and twin grandchildren Alison Emma and Andrew Dylan; was predeceased by his father, Rudolf A. Mafko, an artist, in 1996, and by his mother, Beatrice May Sutherland Willcox, an artist, in 2005.

Born on October 7, 1942 in Latrobe, PA, James was an artist with over 100 paintings in private collections in 14 states. James painted geometric and figurative cartoon canvases. A 1960 graduate of Newark High School, James attended the University of Delaware from 1961-1965.

James was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965, completed basic training in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, served in Korea in 1966 as a Field Artillery Operations and Intelligence Specialist, and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation with bronze oak-leaf cluster, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Services Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. After his military service, James lived in New York City where he studied at the Art Students League and then in Boston where he took courses at Harvard University, Boston State College and the Boston Institute for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies.

In 1978, James settled into the Trolley Square neighborhood of Wilmington, DE. James worked for 15 years as a painting contractor in Delaware, taught at the Delaware Adolescent Program, Inc., and as a substitute teacher; was also a social worker for the State of Delaware, a secretary in the Wilmington office of the I.R.S., and, for five years during the 1980s, a volunteer at the Wilmington Vet Center.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Friday, February 24, 2017 from 10 AM – 11 AM at the Doherty Funeral Home, 1900 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington, DE, where a Celebration of James’ Life will begin at 11 AM, followed by a luncheon reception and showing of James’ art work at 12 PM in the Community Room at Lincoln Towers, 1800 N. DuPont Street.

Family and friends are also invited to his interment at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE 19701 on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 2 PM.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Diamond State V.F.W., 8 South DuPont Road, Wilmington, DE 19804.

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