James Pool

James C. T. Pool
James Christopher Thomas Pool passed away on April 15, 2024 in Prescott, AZ, at the age of 87.
The son of James Lester Pool and Gwendolyn (Manners) Pool, Jim was born February 27, 1937 on
the Thomas/Pool farm in the Rock Creek area of Edgerton, Kansas, in the same house where his
father and paternal grandmother were also born.
Having grown up in a rural farming community, he learned the principles by which he lived —
integrity, camaraderie and persistence. He appreciated the many opportunities he had during his
long career and the lasting friendships he enjoyed over the years. He is remembered for his
kindness, thoughtfulness, and willingness to help others as well as the positive impact he had on
many people's lives.

Jim graduated from the Wellsville (Kansas) High School in 1955 and attended the University of
Kansas as a Summerfield Scholar, receiving a B.A. with Honors in Mathematics in 1959. After a year
at Northwestern University, he transferred to the University of Iowa, receiving a Ph.D. in Physics in
1963. His early research interests were the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics and
quantum field theory. Over his career, Jim's research interests emphasized high-performance
computing, computational science and engineering, mathematical Software, and problem-solving
environments.

Jim held positions related to high-performance computing at Argonne National Laboratory in
Lemont, IL, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Research in Germantown, MD, and
the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Naval Research in Arlington, VA. At the software vendor
Numerical Algorithms Group (NAG), Jim led NAG's North American activities. Jim's academic
positions included post-doctoral appointments at Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, the University
of Hamburg, Germany, and the University of Geneva, Switzerland; assistant professor of
mathematics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA; and department head as well as
professor of mathematics and computer science at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. Jim
concluded his professional career at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, where he
served as associate director, deputy director, and executive director of Caltech's Center for
Advanced Computing Research.

After his retirement in 2003, Jim and Doris, his wife of almost 39 years, moved to Prescott, AZ,
where he became active as a volunteer for numerous organizations. His hobbies included
motorsports, genealogy, photography, and studying Anasazi, Early American, Medieval English, and
Welsh history.

Jim is survived by Doris (Marks/Pahis), his children, Danielle Pool of Arlington, VA and Arlan Pool
(Andrea) of Wayland, MA, and his grandson, Samuel Pool of Wayland, MA.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions in Jim’s name to the Wellsville Historical Society,
P.O. Box 104, Wellsville, KS 66092 or the Rock Creek Community Center, in care of Linda Broers,
Treasurer, 36974 W. 231 Street, Edgerton, KS 66021.
Celebrations of Life will be held in Prescott AZ and Wellsville, KS at a future date.