Smithtown — James Tonjes died May 1, 2024 at the age of 93 in Smithtown, NY after a short illness. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Jean, his son David and David’s wife Karen Galindo, and their two sons, James and Joseph, by his daughter Elizabeth Dickman and her husband Robert, their son Henry, daughter Grace, and Grace’s wife, Hunter Weston, and by his youngest daughter, Carolyn O’Loughlin and her husband Michael. He was predeceased by his daughter Kathryn.
James was born and raised in Brooklyn, graduated from Brooklyn Tech, served in the US Navy domestically during the Korean War, graduated from Brooklyn College with a teaching degree in mathematics, and earned a MS degree from Hofstra University, also in mathematics education. He taught in Brooklyn for a year and then for 27 years in South Huntington schools, at Stimson Jr. High where he served as chair of the math department.
He also served as president of the teachers union for a number of years. On retirement he and Jean left their home of 26 years in Northport and moved to New Mexico where they taught school for two years, to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where they also taught for two years, and to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where they taught for another two years. On final retirement he and Jean lived in Espanola, New Mexico for a decade, returning to Long Island in 2006.
He and Jean were devout Episcopalians, and also bridge lifemasters. They travelled extensively domestically and internationally, including spending a year in England through the Fulbright Teachers Exchange Program.
He and Jean made friends wherever they went and maintained those friendships over time and distance. Although long life meant he outlived many of those friends, this good man will be badly missed by those who remain, including those from his time in New Mexico.