Lt. Colonel James T. Aspbury, Jr., 84, passed away peacefully on Aug. 28, 2021, at the New York State Veterans' Home at Montrose. He was born in Far Rockaway, Queens, on April 21, 1937, the son of the late Helen (Mulholland) and James T. Aspbury, Sr., and grew up in Millbrook.
After completing high school, Jim enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, 2nd Pioneer Battalion and served in an expeditionary force dispatched to Beirut, Lebanon. He subsequently attended and graduated from St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, NY and was commissioned in the Marine Corps from January 1966 through March 1969, serving two tours in Vietnam (Platoon Commander, 3rd Combat Engineer Bn., 3rd Marine Division and Engineer Officer, Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn. 6th Marine Regiment) and as a Company Commander, 1st Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Lejeune, NC. During his active duty Jim was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with Two Bronze Stars, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation and a Pistol Sharpshooters Badge.

After his honorable discharge Jim enjoyed a long career in the Marines Reserve, serving at different times as a Logistics, Assistant Operations and Intelligence Officer and participating in exercises in Camp Lejeune, Norfolk, VA, Norway and the United Kingdom, among others. A longtime resident of the Upper East Side of Manhattan and better known to family and friends as "Knocko," he was the life of the party, known for his generosity and renowned for his love of movies and film trivia, good Italian food and the New York Giants. Jim occasionally acted as an extra in New York-based films and can be seen in the background of the 1976 Best Picture Oscar winner, "Network.

Jim is survived by his sister, Helen Anne (Aspbury) Ballantyne, his brother, Herbert Aspbury, his nieces, Jessica Gerber, Pamela Byrne and Leslie Ballantyne; his nephews Matt and Peter Aspbury and numerous great-nieces and nephews as well as a large extended family who raise a glass in his memory.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday, October 15, 2021 at 10:00 am at St. Joseph--Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Millbrook, with inurnment to follow immediately thereafter in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Memorial donations in Jim's memory are requested to Toys for Tots ( www.toysfortots.org ).
Arrangements have been entrusted to Allen Funeral Home, Millbrook. To leave a message of condolence,  please visit hudsonvalleyfuneralhomes.com