Obituary of James Richard VanPernis

He was born in Dansville, on July 31, 1915, a son of the late Dirk and Wilhelmina DeBoer VanPernis. On September 29, 1940, at the Dutch Reform Church in Colts Neck, NJ, he was married to Abbie Dangler VanPernis who survives. He was also predeceased by his brother Robert VanPernis. Jim was a graduate of Middleton Township High School in Leonardo NJ Class of 1934. He began his working career at Bryant & Hefferman in NYC. In 1936, he worked for the DL&W Rail Road until coming back to Dansville. Jim was employed at Foster Wheeler Energy Corp. in Dansville for over thirty-seven years retiring in 1977 as a Traffic Control Manager. He was a member of the Dansville Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder and Trustee. He was a member of the Dansville Board of Trade, a member of the Board of Directors of the former Dansville & Mt. Morris Railroad. He was a past president of the former Dansville PTA, a former member of the Phoenix Lodge # 115 of the F&AM, and a member of the Twenty-Five year club at Foster Wheeler. Jim was active volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America since 1955. He was a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society, a volunteer at the Clara Barton Chapter # 1 of the American Red Cross, the Food Pantry, Noyes Memorial Hospital and a blood donor. Jim and Abbie enjoyed traveling, by boat, car, plane and train. Surviving in addition to his dear wife, Abbie, are a daughter, Virginia (William) Nichols of Rochester, three sons, James (Cathy) VanPernis of Sunnyvale CA, Thomas VanPernis of Hornell, and David (Jennifer) VanPernis of North Springfield VA. Seven grandchildren and three great-grandsons. A memorial service will be held Saturday Nov. 22 at 11:00am in the Dansville Presbyterian Church. Interment will be in Greenmount Cemetery, Dansville. Arrangements are by the Hindle Funeral Home, Inc., 271 Main St., Dansville. Online remembrances may be left at HindleFuneralHome.com In lieu of flowers please make memorial contributions to the Dansville Presbyterian Church, 3 School St., Dansville Ambulance Fund, PO Box 235, both of Dansville, NY 14437 or the Livingston County Hospice, 2 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, NY 14510.