Deceased December 16, 2012
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In Memory
Born in 1940 in Buffalo, N.Y., Jim Senefelder transferred into the class of 1967 after service in the Coast Guard on the international ice patrol and in meteorology school, followed by work at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. At Amherst, Jim majored in Russian history and was active in Alpha Theta Xi. Simultaneously with his life as a student, he also was an Amherst police officer, and occasionally he attended classes and fraternity meetings in uniform. From the perspective of senior citizens, the age difference between Jim and his classmates seems a trifling thing now, but it was a rather big deal then. Five years our elder, and with streetwise experiences none of us shared, Jim enjoyed a special status among us as a worldly big-brother figure and a valued mentor. He served those roles comfortably and well, but he always made it plain that he particularly enjoyed his time with us as one of the guys. He had a great sense of humor and was well liked by all.
After Amherst, Jim briefly attended law school but then moved on to other challenges. He had a successful career with the Mobil Chemical Co., retiring after 35 years of service. He married Linda Harter and is survived by two children, Allan and Carrie. Jim was an active volunteer in his community of West Clarksville, N.Y., with the Olean (N.Y.) Kennel Club, the Great Pyrenees Club of America and the Pines Wildlife Sanctuary. He was also active in the Clarksville Volunteer Fire Co. and the Clarksville ambulance service. Jim died at home, after a brief battle with cancer, on Dec. 16, 2012, at the end of a long and caring life, well remembered by all who knew him.
Ken Ingram ’67, David Collins ’67 and John Stifler ’68