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.