I wish that we had all been able to see Jim at our 50th, but I know that he was not able to be there.
The last time that I saw Jim was in November of 2013 in New York City. My husband, Paul, and I had dinner with Jim and his wife, Dale. We all walked through Times Square after dinner. It was so much fun.
As you can see, I am trying to cheer myself up in light of this very sad news.
In any case, my condolences to Jim's family, including Dale and his daughter, Becky, and to his close classmates.
I'm stunned. Jimmy was one of my closest friends throughout the Shaker years. We remained in touch from time to time as the years flew by, but our tentative plans to get together sadly never materialized. The last time I heard from him was during the year before the 50th reunion. At last. I thought Jimmy, Dale & I were finally going to get together. (but not at the reunion). Then, both of our plans changed yet again. For those of you who didn't know him well, Jimmy was sincerely one of the most sincere and nicest people I've ever had the privilege to know and call my friend. Still so hard to believe.
My condolences & love go out to Dale and their families.
I am saddened by the loss of Dr. James Wolfson, with whom I shared an active interest in American history, based on his SHHS website post of last year. He shared his book on John Brown (and the Chambersburg HS video produced based on his book) with me, and I shared my two articles on Presidents Truman and Eisenhower with him. I too was shocked to hear about his passing, and extend my sympathy to his wife Dale and family.
Jim and I grew up together. We were next door neighbors from birth. Through the years we stayed in touch and got together when we were in the same location. The last time we were together was 2015 in Fla. when he had hip replacement surgery. I brought him a fishing rod with the hope we would be successful next time, In 2016, but that was not to be. This past winter we spent time with Dale and shared stores about Jim. He will defenetly be missed
Here is what I recieved Jim's wife ( DALE WOLFSON)....
There was never a formal obituary nor a funeral for Jim. He was a cadaver donation. I have held two memorials for him, one in Sarasota and one in Ann Arbor and will be holding a third in Chambersburg, PA, where we lived for 18 years, in September. I'll try to make this short.
Jim Wolfson passed away on November 18, 2015 in Sarasota, Florida. Although he had been ill for several months, his death was still unexpected.
After leaving Shaker Heights High School in 1968, Jim attended the University of Michigan, receiving degrees in industrial engineering and an MBA in accounting. At Michigan he met me ,his wife, Dale Marder Wolfson, and we were married for 45 years.
We lived in several places during those 45 years, including Tucson, Sarasota, Cleveland and Chambersburg, PA. It was in Chambersburg that Jim had some of his greatest achievements. He became what you could call a big fish in a very small pond. Chambersburg has the dubious distinction of being the only town in the North that was burned to the ground by the Confederacy after they came demanding money and the townspeople refused to pay. Jim immersed himself in the Civil War history of the area and gave much time to the minority and Jewish community. He was responsible for restoring the historic Jewish cemetery in Chambersburg, where the only Confederate Jewish soldier can be found buried in a northern cemetery, and relentlessly sought and received five historical markers for the borough. After writing several grants and starting in 2004, Jim was the executive director of a federally funded after-school program for students at risk in the Chambersburg Area School District, where he touched the lives of many children and their families.
Jim was always grateful for the experiences he had growing up in Shaker Heights and credited his education with allowing him to impact so many people in such a positive way.
Our children, Rebecca and Mandy, and I miss him very much, but we take great comfort in knowing that his life had meaning for many. We are grateful that he had the years he had to live the life he lived.
Joan Borod
To Jim's Family & our Classmates,
I am so sad to hear about Jim.
I wish that we had all been able to see Jim at our 50th, but I know that he was not able to be there.
The last time that I saw Jim was in November of 2013 in New York City. My husband, Paul, and I had dinner with Jim and his wife, Dale. We all walked through Times Square after dinner. It was so much fun.
As you can see, I am trying to cheer myself up in light of this very sad news.
In any case, my condolences to Jim's family, including Dale and his daughter, Becky, and to his close classmates.
Signing off, Joani
Richard Brezner
I'm stunned. Jimmy was one of my closest friends throughout the Shaker years. We remained in touch from time to time as the years flew by, but our tentative plans to get together sadly never materialized. The last time I heard from him was during the year before the 50th reunion. At last. I thought Jimmy, Dale & I were finally going to get together. (but not at the reunion). Then, both of our plans changed yet again. For those of you who didn't know him well, Jimmy was sincerely one of the most sincere and nicest people I've ever had the privilege to know and call my friend. Still so hard to believe.
My condolences & love go out to Dale and their families.
Thomas Torda
I am saddened by the loss of Dr. James Wolfson, with whom I shared an active interest in American history, based on his SHHS website post of last year. He shared his book on John Brown (and the Chambersburg HS video produced based on his book) with me, and I shared my two articles on Presidents Truman and Eisenhower with him. I too was shocked to hear about his passing, and extend my sympathy to his wife Dale and family.
Dr. Thomas Torda
Russell Garron
Jim and I grew up together. We were next door neighbors from birth. Through the years we stayed in touch and got together when we were in the same location. The last time we were together was 2015 in Fla. when he had hip replacement surgery. I brought him a fishing rod with the hope we would be successful next time, In 2016, but that was not to be. This past winter we spent time with Dale and shared stores about Jim. He will defenetly be missed
Edward Torchy Smith
Here is what I recieved Jim's wife ( DALE WOLFSON)....
There was never a formal obituary nor a funeral for Jim. He was a cadaver donation. I have held two memorials for him, one in Sarasota and one in Ann Arbor and will be holding a third in Chambersburg, PA, where we lived for 18 years, in September. I'll try to make this short.
Jim Wolfson passed away on November 18, 2015 in Sarasota, Florida. Although he had been ill for several months, his death was still unexpected.
After leaving Shaker Heights High School in 1968, Jim attended the University of Michigan, receiving degrees in industrial engineering and an MBA in accounting. At Michigan he met me ,his wife, Dale Marder Wolfson, and we were married for 45 years.
We lived in several places during those 45 years, including Tucson, Sarasota, Cleveland and Chambersburg, PA. It was in Chambersburg that Jim had some of his greatest achievements. He became what you could call a big fish in a very small pond. Chambersburg has the dubious distinction of being the only town in the North that was burned to the ground by the Confederacy after they came demanding money and the townspeople refused to pay. Jim immersed himself in the Civil War history of the area and gave much time to the minority and Jewish community. He was responsible for restoring the historic Jewish cemetery in Chambersburg, where the only Confederate Jewish soldier can be found buried in a northern cemetery, and relentlessly sought and received five historical markers for the borough. After writing several grants and starting in 2004, Jim was the executive director of a federally funded after-school program for students at risk in the Chambersburg Area School District, where he touched the lives of many children and their families.
Jim was always grateful for the experiences he had growing up in Shaker Heights and credited his education with allowing him to impact so many people in such a positive way.
Our children, Rebecca and Mandy, and I miss him very much, but we take great comfort in knowing that his life had meaning for many. We are grateful that he had the years he had to live the life he lived.
Dale Wolfson