James E. Travers, Jr.

James E. Travers Jr., 67, of Erie, Pa., passed away peacefully at his home on August 12, 2026, following a self-fought courageous battle with cancer.

Jim was preceded in death by his beloved father, James E. Travers Sr.

He will be lovingly remembered by his mother, Mary Ree Theuerkauf Travers; his son, James E. Travers III and his children, Will, Jack, and Rhys, and his son Michael Travers and his wife, Brittany, all of Erie, Pa. He is also survived by his sisters, Carolyn (Larry) LaFata of McKean, Pa., and JoAnne (Ken) Lacey of Cincinnati, Ohio. Jim will be fondly remembered by his nieces and nephews, Brian (Abby) LaFata, Daniel LaFata, Lauren (Parker) Raffel, Mark (Morganne) Lacey, and Sean Lacey as well as his cousins and numerous friends.

Though Jim kept his faith private, he was baptized and raised in the Catholic faith. He received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation and just days before his death, the Anointing of the Sick. His faith remained a quiet and personal part of his life, and he was comforted by the grace and presence of the Church during his final days. The family would like to thank Fr. James McCormick for his support in Jim’s final days.

Jim’s upbringing on the lower Westside of Erie shaped the man he became, but just as importantly, he left his own mark on the neighborhood he called home most of his life.

Jim was a proud graduate of St. Andrew School, Class of 1972, and remained a lifelong parishioner of St. Andrew Parish. His sons followed in his footsteps attending St. Andrew School. In his adult life, Jim gave back to the school and became an important influence in the lives of many students as a coach. For them, he was much more than a coach—he was a mentor, a role model, and someone they knew they could count on always.

Jim's love for the Westside and the Bayfront community was a part of who he was. He was, without a doubt, the definition of a Bay-Rat—and he was proud of it! In the late 1990s, he formed and led the Bay-Rat Crime Watch, dedicating his time and energy to helping keep the neighborhood safe and looking out for the people he cared about. For many years on Halloween, his good friend, Mike Lorei, would drive Jim around the neighborhood while Jim wore a Bay-Rat mascot costume, keeping an eye on the neighborhood.

Jim graduated from Cathedral Prep in 1976 and went on to graduate from Gannon University in 1980, both located in downtown Erie. During his college years he was the accountant in his grandfather’s downtown store, The Red Door. His grandfather John Travers died suddenly at the end of Jim's junior year, at which time Jim took over the store. He would proudly share that while he didn’t have time to go to class, he was still able to make the Dean’s List his senior year. Jim owned and operated the store for 46 years, growing The Red Door from a school uniform shop into a business that also provided team uniforms to local schools and sports teams. He was so dedicated to his customers, that in his last days he continued to say that he had more work to do.

Jim's love of coaching expanded over the years, beginning at St. Andrew coaching basketball and cross country to coaching baseball for Boys Baseball of Erie, Post 11 Jr. Legion, Cathedral Prep, Strong Vincent, and the Glenwood League. Additionally, he began a side business called Next Level Hitting and Training which provided baseball instruction and plyometric training to athletes across all sports.

Throughout his life, Jim remained an avid athlete. He worked out daily and was a regular fixture at the Downtown YMCA, where he became a handball legend. Nobody could hit a better revolving door—not even his son, Mike! One of Jim’s proudest athletic accomplishments came in 1996, when he and his partner, Dave Skopow Sr., won the Class A Doubles Championship. It was an achievement Jim was incredibly proud of and one he continued to talk about with great fondness. Jim also played baseball into his early sixties, where he continued to catch in weekend doubleheaders. He ended his career helping his team to the league's championship as an underdog, an especially meaningful accomplishment as he always loved being the underdog. Throughout these sports and in all of these areas of Jim's life he formed countless lifelong friendships.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Jim was a lifelong and devoted Detroit Tigers fan. His love for the Tigers was something he proudly passed down to his sons and grandsons, who continue to cheer for the team and carry on that family tradition.

Above all else, Jim loved and cherished his sons, his grandsons, and his daughter-in-law. He was incredibly proud of his sons and their accomplishments in their careers, but even more, he was proud of the fine men they had become and the strong character they carried with them. Jim found tremendous joy in being a father and grandfather, and he especially loved the opportunity to coach his sons. Sharing the field with them allowed him to combine two of the things he loved—his family and sports. For Jim, there was no greater joy than seeing his family grow, succeed, and become good, caring people. His love for them and theirs for him will never end.

Friends may call at Burton Quinn Scott Funeral Home, 602 W. 10th St., on Thursday, August 20, from 3:00–7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Andrew Church, 1116 W. 7th St., on Friday, August 21, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to be made to Build Better Fields, Inc., 5101 Emmaline Drive, Erie, Pa 16509.