Father Amelio James Bertelli died at Regina Cleri Residence, Boston, on Jan. 5. Known by priests and parishioners as Jim, his adopted first name was in no way a slight to his Italian ancestry of which he was quite proud. He was born in Somerville on Aug. 14, 1928, the son of the late Amelio and Stella (Guazzaloca) Bertelli.

After his education in local schools in Lexington, to which the family had moved, he served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict and attended Boston College prior to entering St. John Seminary. Richard Cardinal Cushing ordained him and his fellow classmates on Feb. 2, 1959, and gave him his first assignment as an assistant at St. Colman of Cloyne in Brockton.