Jim (BA 1956/MA 1961) died on July 25, 2013. He taught at San Jacinto High School for 26 years and taught and coached tennis at Mt. San Jacinto College for 40 years. He and his wife (Barbara/ MA 1960) lived in Hemet in the San Jacinto Valley of California for 50 years. He leaves four children: Cathryn, James, Jr., Sharyl, and Krista as well as seven grand-children and six great grand-children. A celebration of his life brought many former students to reminisce with family members last August. In September, the San Jacinto High School football team dedicated their season to his memory and designed special stickers to attach to their helmets. This year, new tennis courts at the high school were dedicated in Jim’s memory and the tennis team hosted friends and family at a dedication ceremony with the refreshments the team knew he loved: doughnuts and strawberry-kiwi soda.
Jim started his teaching career in Umapine, Oregon and then later moved to Williams, California in the Sacramento Valley where he taught for four years before moving to Hemet. He was active in a valley tennis team after his retirement (in 1988) from full-time teaching at the high school. Donations made in his memory are being used to provide scholarships for high school graduating seniors who have played football and/or tennis.