James "Jim" Alan TorpeyAsheville - James (Jim) Alan Torpey died peacefully surrounded by his family on August 15th 2017. Jim was born on March 23, 1953 in Grand Island, Nebraska to Charles Leo Torpey and Elizabeth Lillian Torpey. Jim is survived by his wife of 40 years, Teresa Brown Torpey of Asheville, his daughters Jennifer (Joe) Szakaly of Cornelius, NC, and Melissa Torpey of Hendersonville, NC. Jim also has two granddaughters, Ava Lillian and Eleanor Elizabeth, both of Cornelius, NC.Jim was born the fifth of ten children and is survived by all of his siblings: Fr. Charles Torpey of Grand Island, NE, John (Ana) Torpey of Oakland, CA, Maureen (Bob) Rosene of Hilton Head Island, SC, Michael (Peggy) Torpey of San Francisco, CA, Richard (Krista) Torpey of Atlanta, GA, William (Carol) Torpey of Hutchinson, KS, Cathleen (Denny) Abels of Amherst, NE, Jane (Michael) Ray of Hilton Head Island, SC, Marcia (Michael) of Oshkosh, WI. Jim is survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.After meeting Teresa in 1975, Jim and Teresa married in December 1976. They started their family in Charlotte, NC and later Greenville, SC. Jim & his family then moved to Asheville, NC where they resided for 30 years. It was here that he and Teresa would make their home and raise their family. Jim enjoyed traveling and being involved in local civic and political issues, the arts community, and his faith community. Professionally, Jim would spend two decades building a successful business as a sales representative for many juvenile product lines. Later, he worked as a financial advisor for several firms in Asheville, but Jim always considered his greatest accomplishment to be his two daughters, Jennifer and Melissa.Honesty and integrity were attributes that shaped Jim throughout his life and contributed to his professional success and his personal relationships with all who were lucky enough to have known him.To his family, Jim was an adoring husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. The love that Jim had for Teresa was evident in everything he did - from the poems he penned about her in the early morning hours to the everyday moments they shared together with laughter. Jim was known for his animated personality and fun sense of humor, as well as his quiet, thoughtful, and gentle demeanor. His legacy is having lived a life full of kindness and compassion, and with a spiritual richness that provided him with a peace at the end of life.Jim's family and friends will gather from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM on Saturday, August 19 in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden. Jim's family will share stories beginning at 10:00 AM and will then greet visitors until 12:00 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, August 19 at 2:00 PM at St. Eugene Catholic Church in Asheville, NC.The family wishes to thank the staff at CarePartners Rehabilitation Center and Mission Hospital for showing care and compassion to Jim during his illness. Jim was cared for by people who had the same kindness he had shown others during his life, during this most difficult time of need. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation ( www.pcf.org).A Memorial Guest Register is available online at www.grocefuneralhome.com.