James P. Mackey III

James P. Mackey III of Orleans MA, Vienna, VA and Brookline, MA passed away in his sleep on Cape Cod July 17, 2026
His 41-year career in Washington D.C. focused on national security. He was a recognized expert who made this country safer everyday behind the scenes as a dedicated career civil servant whose persistence, thoroughness, and interpersonal tools allowed him to collate information among various intelligence agencies and other contacts to prepare daily threat analysis for the National Counterterrorism Center which was passed to the highest levels of government daily.  Whether it was during 9/11 in the Bunker with Dick Chaney or after his retirement on Cape Cod where he fielded calls during hurricane Katrina, he served his country with distinction.
As a Naval Officer on the USS Navarro, Director of Research for the Army Times, Editor of the first catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance for OMB (Office of Management and Budget), Consultant to the government with Lawrence Leiter, Security and Intelligence analyst for the Department of Energy’s Office of International Relations and Emergency Preparedness and  FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Supervisory intelligence officer at FBI Headquarters Strategic Information Operations Center (SIOC) and the global command and communications center (NCTC) while at Homeland Security he excelled in what he did because his work made a difference.
After retirement, he and his wife of 63 years, Dorothy E. Mackey (Conlin) designed, built and moved to their waterfront dream home on Little Pleasant Bay in Orleans, MA. When not traveling to one of the 70 countries they visited together, or visiting with their two sons James P. Mackey IV (Phuket, Thailand), and Timothy J. Mackey MD. (Sparta, NJ) or one of their five grandchildren Sarah Kleinbaum (New York, NY), Michael Mackey (RIP), Brigid Mackey (Seatle, WA), Christopher Mackey (Sparta, NJ) and Katherine Mackey (Austin, TX) Jim enjoyed sailing, reading, and many friends.
Adopted, the only child of James P. Mackey Jr. and Marie J. Mackey (Meade), Jim graduated Boston College High School (’55), the College of the Holy Cross (’59), Georgetown University (’67 with three Masters degrees in Government and International Relations, Strategic and National Security, and Business Administration), and the U.S. Naval War College (’90).
A funeral mass will be at St. Joan of Arc Church in Orleans, MA October 3rd at 11am with celebration of life to follow at the Orleans Yacht Club. Internment with be October 5th  at Holyhood Cemetery in Chestnut Hill, MA. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Boston College High School at www.bchigh.edu/give or at 150 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125. Updates and details available at www.nickersonfhorleans.com.