James W Sanders

Fran Silvernail published a tribute .

Rachel,

Thanks for providing the information. Sorry to hear of the passing of my great colleague at the College of Staten Island. What great accomplishments he had there for the benefit of all College of Staten Island students and the Public School Students on the Island as well.

Also, so many positive memories of various holidays spent together in Randell Manor.

I am certain that Jim's soul journery's on quietly and peaceable for eternity.

His presence is missed.

With compassion, empathy and love.

Fran Silvernail

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Rachel Sanders published a tribute .

Beloved husband, father and grandfather. Professor Emeritus and Co-director of the Discovery Institute at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. Author, sailor, traveler, and scholar.

James W Sanders, age 91, passed away surrounded by his loving family at Sierra Ridge senior living community in Auburn, CA on December 19, 2020.

Dr. Sanders was the devoted husband of the late Joan (nee Lark) for 38 years; loving father of Rachel Sanders, Sarah Sanders-Nolivo and her husband, Marcello; cherished grandfather of Ashley, Brianna Jasmane and Matteo.

Jim was born in Peru, Illinois, in November 1929 to Betty and William Sanders, where he graduated from Saint Bede Academy. He then joined the Jesuit order with whom he travelled widely and earned a B.A. English from Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH), M.A. Philosophy and M.A. Theology from Loyola University (Chicago, IL), and Ph.D. History of American Education from the University of Chicago. Jim then resided in Staten Island for fifty years, from 1968 until 2018, where he married Joan and they raised their family together.

Dr. Sanders had a distinguished career at the College of Staten Island, CUNY as a professor of Education and co-director of the Discovery Institute, for whom he wrote and obtained many project grants. He published two books on the history of urban education with Oxford University Press along with much scholarly writing. He did not fully retire until the age of 80, when he finally found the time to finish his second book. He spent his later years as a travelling “bi-coastal” father and grandfather and his final two years settled near his family in California.

Jim and Joan developed a passion for sailing and joined the Richmond County Yacht Club where they kept a family boat. After raising their family, Jim and Joan loved to travel together and experience cultures around the world through educational tours. They always found time for entertaining and enjoying the company of several circles of close friends. Jim was well known to have a great sense of humor which delighted all around him.

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Cathy Lavin published a tribute .

When I joined the Sadler religion department in 1969, Joan and Jim took me under their wings. Many a night I walked to the ferry with Joan and then took the bus to get to their lovely apartment on Clove Road. Sometimes a cleaning lady would be coming after Joan left for work, and I can still hear Jim teasing her about cleaning for the cleaning lady. On weekends sometimes I would drive over from Roselle Park and enjoy a picnic in the park while Jim bragged about his “uncle’s” famous recipe: Colonel Sanders. We became quite close. I was honored to be their witness when they received the Sacrament of Matrimony in the chapel of the rectory at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
We did not see as much of each other as we raised our families but we stayed in close touch mainly with phone calls and “Sadlier” parties where all had a great time. Once when we had all retired, I had occasion to drive to NY on my own from Ocean City MD where Peter and I were living. Joan and I agreed on a Saturday overnight visit but then she got called to go to CA to visit/help one of the girls. It was agreed that I should arrive anyway. By then they were living in the apartment by the water. There were two security check points to get to their building as well as a security guard in the lobby to check people in. Jim and I chatted all evening then went to Mass together on Sunday. He was proud to fix his famous (to him, anyway) tuna fish salad…that I really enjoyed. As I was leaving with my overnight bag, Jim admitted sheepishly that Joan was worried what others might think if they learned a married woman was visiting Jim while she was away. As I hugged Jim goodbye, I said, “Don’t worry about that. I will tell the guard on my way out to make sure Mrs. Sanders doesn’t know that I have visited.” He looked at me for about a second with horror on his face until he broke out in a huge grin when he realized I was pulling his leg.
Peter and I always enjoyed visiting Jim and Joan. Jim was a gracious host and there was always so much to talk about! Jim had a big and loving heart, an amazing mind, and a deep faith. He was a blessing in my life. Cathy Lavin

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Cassandra Cerny Ferree published a tribute .

I have great memories of visiting Uncle Jim and Rachel in New York - from sailing to fabulous dinners. You always welcomed us with open arms and big smiles.

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Diane Isaac published a tribute .

I knew you as “Captain Jim” you welcomed me and my sons on your sailing trips with your beloved daughter, my friend, Rachel. Your kind heart, your warm smile, and your encouraging words comforted us in knowing that we had a friend in you. You gave my son Chris the helm, your boosted his confidence when everything in his world said that he couldn’t make it. And even when your mind seem to be fading, the twinkle in your deep blue eyes, your smile, your voice, still assured me that deep inside you remembered us, and that we still mattered to you. I will miss you but I will never forget the connection that we made. You will be sorely missed “Captain Jim”...May the fair winds meet you as you journey through this Universe.

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Nicole Leasin published a tribute .

My heart is filled with gratitude for all the ways Jim and Joan Sanders opened up their home to me and treated me like a part of their family as a teenager and a young adult. Thank you Jim for your incredible generosity of spirit. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn to sail, visit the pyramids at the Yucatan Peninsula and so many other wonderful memories. You will not be forgotten.

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Kenneth Gold published a tribute .

Jim Sanders will be missed by so many faculty and staff at the College of Staten Island. Professor Deborah DeSimone composed the following tribute to Jim and she read it today at the final meeting of the CSI Faculty Senate:

The words I present to you today are a compilation of thoughts and sentiments expressed by the Faculty of the School of Education in Remembrance of Jim Sanders: Professor, scholar, sailor, who passed away in December, though we just learned of his death on Monday. I like to welcome and acknowledge Jim’s daughters, Rachel and Sarah, who have joined us today via Zoom.

Jim truly was a kind, wonderful, authentic gentleman, with an animating presence and real twinkle in his eye.

Jim started off as a Jesuit priest and left that calling for the love of his life, Joan Sanders, and continued his service to others as a Professor of Educational History at the CSI. Jim was a scholar of Irish Catholic education, writing books and articles about the Irish in Chicago and in Boston. He was dedicated to improving the educational experience of public school children. "Sanders' Law" rests on the observation that "The farther from the classroom a NYCDoE employee, the less concern on that employee's part for the well-being of students." This "law" inspired Jim to work to make the system more humane, root and branch. A more humane system needed stronger human connections – connections between the teachers in a particular grade -- and between the students and their classroom teachers. Through these connections, instruction could improve as faculty shared links between their content as well as concerns for individual students. Jim and his great friend, Len Ciaccio, started the Discovery Center, based on this idea that the best instruction is instruction given by teachers who know each other and know their students. Together, Jim with Len (and later with Irina Lyublinskaya) won multiple federal, state, public and private grants to fund their vision of educational change. They expanded that vision into the Discovery Institute of the City University of New York, which brought CSI millions of dollars and made teacher education a flagship in CUNY.
Jim was the soul and moral compass of the Department of Education. No wrong doing was left unnoticed or unspoken – be it the exploitation of adjuncts or issues of parking (OMG he detested those grass medians in Parking Lot 2A). Jim was always willing to speak out against obvious and not-so-obvious wrongs in the Department and at the College.
He was an incredibly humble, patient, thoughtful and generous mentor to all who joined the Education Department. His contribution to our professional careers and achievements is invaluable. He taught us how to be professors…how to write simply, cleanly and logically. Jim opened his mind and his heart to people around him. He loved people! Jim was so adept at distilling the essence of ideas so all could understand. He communicated in a way that inspired all to join in the conversations…be they brainstorming ideas for grants to improve education, to learning how to support collaborative and productive environments, from getting feedback on writing proposals, to co-presenting at meetings in Washington DC. Every minute spent with Jim was a learning experience that opened our minds to new visions and ideas and helped us become better educators. Jim modeled the importance of collegiality and civility.

Born in Illinois, about 2 hours SW of Chicago, Jim fell in love with the sea when he came east. Jim and I shared a love of the ocean, sailing, and a penchant for nautical metaphors. To this day I use his retort whenever asked how I am, “Never better.”

Simply put, James Sanders was our gold standard. He remains a present force that still moves, motivates, and stimulates his colleagues. Rachel and Sarah, trust me when I say, he is and will continue to be sorely missed.

There will be a memorial luncheon on August 28th here on Staten Island. If anyone wishes to attend, I will put the link in the chat.
https://www.mykeeper.com/event/memorial-luncheon/

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