James T. Holcombe

James T. Holcombe Educator and Teaching Profession Advocate James T. Holcombe, 94, of Mountainside, passed away on June 11, 2012. He received academic degrees from Lafayette College, Columbia and NYU. For more than 50 years Jim represented educators in NJ through extensive involvement in the NJ Education Association. He taught math and science at Union High School for 17 years and was principal of Livingston School, Union for 25 years. He served on the Board of Trustees of the NJ Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund for 24 years and was its chair for 15. He served an unprecedented two terms on the Executive Board of the National Council on Teacher Retirement and was twice a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. Jim's advocacy of teacher benefits and rights resulted in the adoption of social security benefits for NJ teachers. In 2001, Jim was honored by the NJEA with the Ruthann Sheer Award for Distinguished Service to Education for his extensive service to the educational community including: President, NJ Retired Educators Association (1994 -1998), NJEA Convention Committee Member, President Union County Education Association and Union County Retired Educators Association, and treasurer for 25 years of the UCREA. Jim was a charter member of the Community Presbyterian Church, a dedicated choir member and served as Treasurer for 25 years. He also proudly sang with the Newark Saengerchor and the Lafayette Graduates' Chorus. Jim is survived by his wife of 66 years, Evelyne, daughter Joanne and son-in-law Joseph Campana, son Randall and daughter-in-law Connie, and grandchildren Kristin, James, Bryan, Allison and Taylor. A Memorial Service will be held at the Community Presbyterian Church in Mountainside at 1pm on June 24, 2012. Donations may be made to the Jim Holcombe Memorial Fund at the Community Presbyterian Church, the Newark Saengerchor or the Lafayette Graduates' Chorus.