James 'Hippie Jim' Raftery; lived to surf

James T. ''Hippie Jim" Raftery was a rugged outdoorsman with long white hair, a mustache, and a goatee. He dabbled in pottery, jewelry, and stained glass work, but surfing was his passion.

''He didn't really have a regular job the last few years. He just surfed, took care of his niece, and did whatever was needed," his longtime companion, Irena Sumbera of Orleans, said.

Mr. Raftery died pretty much as he had lived. He apparently suffered a heart attack Friday while surfing at Nauset Outer Beach in Orleans. He was 53.

Born in Glen Ridge, N.J., Mr. Raftery owned a jewelry store in Red Bank, N.J., for a time.

He moved to Orleans in 1980 and began making hand-thrown pottery. ''He made one-of-a-kind and functional pieces," his sister, Barbara Raftery of Orleans, said.

For the past few years he concentrated mostly on surfing, both at Nauset Beach and in Rio Nexpa, Mexico, where he spent winters.

While in Mexico he adopted two stray mutts he named Scratchy and Killer Kowalski, and he was devoted to them.

Mr. Raftery worked part time at the Pump House Surf Shop in Orleans and did volunteer work at the Centerville MSPCA. But mostly he surfed.

''He got up in the morning and checked the weather and the buoy report to see what the ocean is doing," said Sumbera. And if conditions were favorable, he hopped into his teal Suzuki and headed for the beach.

''He was at the beach every day," said Sumbera. ''And if he wasn't surfing, he was fishing for stripers or blues."

In addition to his sister and companion, Mr. Raftery leaves a daughter, Kim Strong of Everett, Wash.; and a sister, Eleanor Milewski of Point Pleasant, N.J.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. today in Coutinho-Boisse Funeral Home in Harwich. Burial is private.