Jim attended James F. Rhodes High School in Cleveland and Oberlin College before transferring to Princeton. He was a member of Key and Seal Club and the Student Christian Association and participated in intramural sports. He roomed with Tony Wilkinson and John Hagaeman. After two years in the Army, he joined Western Electric in Kearny, N.J., and earned a master’s degree from Stevens Institute of Technology. While working as an engineer for the Bell System, he is credited with developing communication systems employing technological innovations that are still in use today. Widely admired for his talent to retain facts, he was a three-time champion on the TV game show Jeopardy! in 1964.
In 1969, Jim moved to Boulder, Colo., to help Bell Laboratories open a new facility. He became active in Boulder civic and religious organizations and was an avid traveler. Upon early retirement from Bell, he opened his own travel agency, which he managed for more than 25 years.
Jim died Oct. 2, 2022. Predeceased by his wife, he is survived by his son and daughter and a granddaughter.
Undergraduate Class of 1951
