- Date Of Death: August 25, 2013
- State: New Jersey
James Carl Gaul, 66, of Lower Bank, NJ, Financial Advisor and Entrepreneur, died August 25th, 2013, in an automobile accident. He was born in 1946, in Burlington, NJ to the late James H. and Elizabeth (née Brown) Gaul. In his youth, Jim was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Burlington, NJ and served as an acolyte. He was a member of Boy Scout troop 57 in Burlington attaining the level of Life Scout.
Jim graduated from Burlington High School in 1964. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in the Philippines and Hawaii. His tours there nurtured his love of exotic foods. Jim earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a major in Finance, from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, graduating in 1973. Jim had over thirty-five years of professional experience in the areas of Financial Planning, Tax Planning and Preparation. His initial training came from IDS/American Express, where he rose to District Manager. From 1988 through 1995, Jim was founder and co-owner of American Financial Group, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor, G-W Brokerage Group, Inc., an NASD Registered Broker/Dealer, and Insurance Group of America, Inc. In 1996 Jim founded James C. Gaul & Associates, a Registered Investment Advisor.
He was the sole proprietor. In 2004, Jim founded Alternative Wealth Strategies, Inc., a FINRA Registered Broker/Dealer. In 2006, James C. Gaul & Associates merged with Financial Planning Associates, Inc., of Tarrytown, NY and the combined company continued under the name of Financial Planning Associates, Inc. In 2010, Jim along with his partner, Jeffrey Rachlin, closed AWSI and started Eastview Trust Company. Jim’s organizational memberships included the Financial Planning Association, the National Due Diligence Alliance, of which he was a founder and member of the Board of Directors.
He was a life member of the NRA, a member of the Ducks Unlimited Organization, a devoted listener of Conservative Talk Radio and a connoisseur of good scotch and cigars. He loved living on his river – especially the sunsets, hunting, fishing, sporting clays, dancing, playing solitaire, bad jokes, hot peppers, his dogs and cooking, especially for the holidays. Jim was a 32nd degree N.J. Free Mason. Although his tenure in the organization was short in comparison to others, he cast a very long shadow. Jim was entered, past and raised to the degree of Master Mason in MW Dan Wilson’s one day class in March of 2005. His desire to learn about the fraternity was phenomenal. He soon joined the York Rite, Scottish Rite, Tall Cedars of Lebanon and the Shrine in search of greater Masonic knowledge. Jim served as Master of H.T. Dewey Lodge #226 in Egg Harbor City in 2009 and 2010 and was Lodge Secretary at the time of his death.
He was selected as a New Jersey Grand Lodge officer in 2011, serving as the district ritual instructor for the 23rd Masonic District. Jim was a proud member of the NJ Kilties, a group who perform their Masonic work wearing traditional Scottish dress. Jim had a passion for helping others and was selected to serve on the Board of Governors of the Children’s Dyslexia Center located in Northfield, an organization dedicated to teaching children with dyslexia how to read. He was an avid fundraiser and advocate for children with the disorder.
He was elected by the fraternity to serve on the Masonic Charity Foundation as a trustee, overseeing Masonic charity endeavors on behalf of masons throughout New Jersey. He is survived by his wife, Mary (née Bryan) Gaul, his two sons, James Walter (Shonna) Gaul and three grandchildren, Matthew Hunter (Tanya) Gaul and two grandchildren, and Mary’s four daughters and son, Heather MacNab Blush and three grandchildren, Lorna K. (Stephen) Bradshaw and two granddaughters, Clare E. MacNab, Amanda G. (Robert) Lyons and two grandsons, and Maj. Ian A. (Courtney) MacNab and two grandsons.
He is also survived by his sister Eileen (Alan) Wood, his brother John (Gayle) Gaul, his niece Liz (Robert) Irwin, three nephews, Benjamin, John and David Gaul many great-nieces and great-nephews, many friends and his beloved retriever, Tucci. Jim was preceded in death by his nephew, Bruce Parker.
