My friend James.

This is so hard writing this and not telling you to your face. I love you very much. I miss you. I respect you and your wealth of knowledge, your sense of humor, and your devotion to others. I watched you shape the lives of so many men, helping them discover or understand spirituality. Helping them explore a new life in sobriety, explaining how it is done and how much joy there is to be had. I have never heard a person break down the big book the way you do. Every morning I listened to you do morning meditation with our guys, and every single time you spoke with emotion and conviction. You were relentless in your pursuit to help others and I admire you for that. You were always insightful, kind, and thoughtful, to everyone you interacted with. You were consistent and treated everyone the same, with respect. I grew to look up to you in many ways and developed a deep love for the man you are. We would discuss many things, and I cherish those conversations. I often took your words to heart and applied them to my life. I watched many men do the same. This is and was a great purpose for your life on earth. You utilized your God-given talents to connect with other people and share your experience so they could draw on it, forever altering their trajectory through life. This was a gift and you used it every day. I miss you, James. I believe you knew I loved you, I told you often, maybe not often enough. Maybe you didn’t hear how inspiring you are, how deeply respected you are, how funny and loving you are. I hope you did. I pray and hope you can hear the voices of all these people who love you and respect you. You are a beautiful person and spirit James. I love you.  

In August 1989, Jim Dietz and I met during “on-boarding” as Presidential Management Interns (PMI) –now called PM Fellows--at the National Science Foundation (NSF). On boarding then included fingerprinting with ink! The fingerprint woman introduced us.

Jim was NSF’s first PMI. NSF’s legendary Director, Erich Bloch, the only non-PhD to run NSF, heard the Evaluation Unit in the Budget Office selected Jim. Erich told NSF it needed more PMIs! Jim became my work brother (WB); the WB that I now measure all other WBs.

Before Jim got his PhD, he made many significant contributions to NSF. In those early years, for example, Jim worked several months as a Congressional staffer on loan from NSF. Jim was instrumental in developing the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program designed to improve the education of technicians in science and engineering fields. Translation: ATE was and is for Community Colleges. Think I’m exaggerating ATE’s significance? Click on the 1990s in A Timeline of NSF History on NSF.gov. If Jim hadn’t worked as a Congressional staffer drafting legislation for various Congressmen (they were mostly men), then the ATE program never would have launched.

Nevertheless, Jim helped launch these divisions as the youngest analyst and later as the youngest Communication leader. As Communication lead Jim designed a traveling NSF exhibit for Education conferences, e.g., the National Science Teachers Association. Jim also was behind the scenes managing the contract and supporting the REC Division Director Daryl Chubin, for NSF’s Women & Science Celebrating Achievements Charting Challenges Conference and Report.

In August 1995, Jim kept my husband, Vladimir Tismaneanu, company at Washington Hospital Center, while I gave birth. Volo had no siblings living in the USA . My siblings lived in Connecticut.

As Jim prepared to leave his NSF and Dupont Circle families for the GA Tech PhD, he suffered a leg injury. Many mornings, I’d pick him up and drive him to NSF in Ballston, VA. Telework really was not accepted then. Because Jim’s leg was not recovered, our work aunt, Deh-I Hsiung, joined him on the rental van trek to move his household from DC to GA.

Vladimir, Adam. and I express condolences to Jim’s birth and Colorado kin.

I am so saddened by your loss. Reading all the memories from friends and family makes me realize what a special human being James was. I wish I had known him better. It appears the world has lost a very special soul at such a young age. Sending my love and heartfelt condolences to you all. Lots of love,

Cousin Karen

I met Jim when he was a freshman at SUNY Albany.  We lived together in a suite and got to know each other well.  We ended up living together for three years, became part of the group of founding fathers of the Sigma Lambda Sigma (SLS) fraternity and lived in the first fraternity house together with Steven Levin and Steven Goldfeder. Those were fun times and full of memories that I cherish to this day. 

I will always remember Jim for his unique and great sense of humor. Jim had the gift to see a situation in a way that others could not imagine.  That perspective made his jokes, comments and observations hysterical.  I think about some of those jokes from time-to-time and I still get a good laugh and smile. Jim cared about his friends and watched out for them.  His ability to bond and connect with others made his decision to resurrect and become the first president of SLS a natural pathway to his future leadership roles.

Jim spent many hours researching possible candidate fraternities and decided on SLS because of its dedication to Faith and Fellowship. He wanted the fraternity to be social and fun, but also wanted to ensure and nurture the bonds of friendship and brotherhood.  He succeeded in delivering on all those objectives. Although years, distance and other commitments may have caused many of us to lose contact with one another, the bonds of our friendship remain strong and clearly evident whenever we do get in touch with one another.  

Jim was a highly intelligent person that could relate and carry on a meaningful conversation with anyone.  His depth of knowledge across many areas was impressive - especially politics and history. He loved learning and was very successful in his academic and professional pursuits. 

Above all else, Jim was a dear friend and brother.  He will never be forgotten.  The fun times and laughter we shared will always keep his memory alive.  My sincere sympathies to Jim's family on this devastating loss.

Fides et Sodalitas,

Mark Kobrinsky

It’s still hard to believe that Jim is gone. I knew him first at NSF. I remember when I was preparing to give my “job talk” and was nervous about sharing my research with all those really smart people. Jim, who I didn’t know, reassured me and said I would do fine. I must have, because I got the job. Jim was extremely intelligent and was always open to new ideas, to moving beyond the way things have always been done. He was also very empathetic and a strong champion of underdogs. I will take a little credit for his sabbatical to Georgia Tech to complete his PhD.  I’m sorry he wasn’t able to stay at NSF because he was a great program director. 

When Jim came to Denver, Alan and I met with him every couple of months for breakfast. He had a wide variety of jobs during his time here, but he never complained. I think his true calling was helping others, especially people in recovery. He mentored so many with so much care. I’ll miss those long breakfasts at local diners, covering every topic from soup to nuts, as my dad would say. Rest in peace, Jim. 

I was one of Jim’s housemates while at Albany in the mid 80’s. Jim was the Founding Father of our fraternity, Sigma Lambda Sigma, which had been defunct for many years.  Through Jim’s efforts in connecting with brothers from decades earlier and recruiting new ones to join, the fraternity was resurrected and remained active for decades. There are now literally hundreds if not thousands of brothers that have a connection that would not exist if not for Jim. 

I will always remember him as one of the smartest people I have ever met, who was mostly very serious but could be uproariously funny at the right moment. In those days, Jim was a leader of men. I wish I had stayed closer with him over the years. My deep condolences to his family.

I can't tell you how devastating Jim's loss is to me. You guys were family growing up, and I just can't imagine a world without him. Please reach out to your family and let them know how much Jim, Chris, you and your family have affected my life. Please keep in touch.  

Well now I'm going to SIT DOWN and watch the PHILLIES. 

Much love

Bernard