ASHTABULA — Years before Ashtabula County boasted fine wineries and the longest covered bridge, James S. Timonere envisioned tourists flocking to the area. The then Ward 2 city councilman talked of bringing in fine restaurants, hotels, and cleaning up Fields Brook and the Ashtabula River, as a way of doing so.

Timonere, 89, a long-time, active member of the Democratic Party, died Wednesday evening at Ashtabula County Medical Center.

“He was the head of the family, a great politician,” said his son, James A. Timonere of Ashtabula. “He was a fun-loving guy, and he always loved the city.”

The Timonere family recently gathered for a reunion at Lake Shore Park and feted James S. Timonere with a cake for his upcoming 90th birthday.

“He was really proud,” his son, James said. “He was as sharp as can be.”

An active member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, James S. Timonere served as an usher. He helped the church with fund-raising projects and was instrumental in raising money to build the Our Lady of Mount Carmel War Memorial, honoring the fallen soldiers of the parish.

Timonere graduated from Ashtabula High School and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

On July 10, 1943, he married the former Marie Vetter. In his lifetime, he worked for the New York Central Railroad, RMI and Reliance Electric.

He served the citizens of Ashtabula for 26 years as a councilman. He also was a member of the Sons of Italy of America 1169, East Ashtabula Club, East Ashtabula Sports Club, and the American Legion Post 103.

His grandson, Jim Timonere, said he admired his grandfather and he will always remember him talking about politics.

“There wasn’t a family gathering where politics didn’t come up,” Jim Timonere said. “I think I inherited some of that spunk from him.”

Family members said Friday that cleaning up Fields Brook and the Ashtabula River were important to their father and grandfather.

“He really wanted to see that cleaned up,” Jim Timonere said. “This was especially so after his wife died of cancer.”

James S. Timonere was preceded in death not only by his wife, Marie, in October of 1984, but also his brothers, Charles and Ralph, sister, Norma McCoy, and his special companion, Edith Simko.

Survivors include sons James A. and his wife, Rosemary; son Gary J. Timonere and his wife, Donna, also of Ashtabula; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren, two sister-in-laws, and several nieces and nephews.