On Sunday, December 3, 2023, James Robert Slagle, a cherished husband, father of five, grandfather of three, and great-grandfather of three, peacefully passed away at the age of 89. Born on March 1, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, James, fondly known as Jim, entered into matrimony with Frances Jeanne Galassi on November 29, 1958. A lifelong learner, Jim achieved academic excellence, earning a Bachelor of Science summa cum laude from St. John’s University, NY, followed by a master’s and a Ph.D. in Mathematics (Computer Science) from MIT in Boston, MA. His scholarly work garnered recognition from President Dwight Eisenhower, who presented Jim with an award at the White House—an extraordinary moment marking Jim as the first blind person to earn a Ph.D. from MIT.

During his time as a Ph.D. candidate at MIT, under the guidance of Marvin Minsky, Jim authored a groundbreaking dissertation titled "Heuristic Program that Solves Symbolic Integration Problems in Freshman Calculus," which introduced the Symbolic Automatic Integrator (SAINT), acknowledged as the first Expert System. Subsequently, Jim led computer science laboratories at prestigious institutions such as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, and Naval Research Laboratory, accumulating numerous accolades, including the US Junior Chamber of Commerce 10 Outstanding Young Men Award (1969) and the title of US Blind Chess Champion (1971). Concluding his remarkable career, Jim served as a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the University of Minnesota, focusing on Artificial Intelligence/Expert Systems.

Jim's professional journey led him to explore life with his beloved wife, Fran, in various cities, including Boston, MA, Livermore, California, Washington, DC, and Minneapolis, MN. Post-retirement, Jim and Fran moved multiple times to Houston, TX, Trumbull, CT, Evansville, IN, and Princeton, NJ, dedicating their time to their three granddaughters. The couple eventually returned to the DC area, where they spent their final years surrounded by family and friends.

Beyond his renowned contributions to Artificial Intelligence, Jim is fondly remembered by friends and family for his remarkable intellect, sharp wit, love for Fran, passion for learning, and commitment to equality. An actively engaged parent and supportive spouse, he supervised his five children's weekly dinner preparations and, once a week, treated them to outings. Jim's love extended to animals, fostering a menagerie of dogs, cats, horses, rats, and guinea pigs. He invested countless hours with his children and later his grandchildren, playing logic games, enjoying weekends of Monopoly, and patiently teaching chess and exceptional problem-solving skills.

Jim's influence is evident in the diverse careers of his five children, spanning artificial intelligence, engineering, business, veterinary medicine, culinary arts, and caregiving. He is survived by his sister, Arlene Slagle Mandart, his five children: Paul Slagle, Mark Slagle, John Slagle, Mary Zappone (John), and Ann Valenti (Ed), his grandchildren: Frances Zappone Casella (Giancarlo), Anna Zappone Allaby (Nathan), and Sarah Zappone, and his great-grandchildren: Leo Casella, Nico Casella, and Olivia Allaby.

Jim's legacy lives on, and we are all grateful to have had him play a significant role in our lives. The world is undeniably a better place because of his contributions to technology and advocacy for equal rights. In honor of Jim's passion and commitment, we invite those who are able to continue contributing to his areas of advocacy.

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