On December 6th, 1932, the Rev. Dr. Hayes and Jean(Adams)Braker were pleased to announce the birth of their son, James Adams Braker, in Mansfield, Ohio. His arrival expanded the family to four, including his older sister Elizabeth (Brown) Mann.
Jim spent most of his youth in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. Both a scholar and an athlete, Jim's life would be forever changed his senior year in high school when he was paired with a spirited co-ed to work on a school project. Despite their apparent differences in personalities, his quiet and thoughtful, hers energetic and spontaneous, Jim and Flo discovered they shared the core values of faith and a compassion for all people. This served as the foundation of a partnership that would last over 74 years.
Jim attended Haverford College outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania excelling both in the classroom and on the football field, where he served as the team captain. He assured Flo before he left that he had no plan to follow in his father's or grandfather's footsteps, but apparently God had a different plan. It was not long before he changed his major from pre-med to philosophy and thus began his lifelong pursuit of ministry and service.
Jim married his high school sweetheart, Florence Kappler, on August 13th, 1955 at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church where his father served. The pair moved to Rochester, New York and Jim entered the masters program at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. The final year of the masters program was spent in Germany where Jim studied at the University of Heidelberg while Flo taught kindergarten at an American military base. This experience likely sparked their shared passion for travel and for connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and with different life experiences.
In September of 1959, shortly after their return to the United States, Jim and Flo welcomed their first child Anne and the family moved to Potsdam, New York where Jim began his ministry serving an American Baptist congregation. From there he was called to serve a congregation in Kingston, New York. It was in Kingston that the family expanded with the adoption of their son John in June of 1964. In June of 1967, daughter Susan made an unexpected but welcomed appearance and the family was complete. A year after Susan's birth, Jim was called to serve in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In 1976, the family returned to the Rochester area when Jim answered a call to serve a congregation in Chili, New York. It was during this time that Jim completed his doctorate degree in ministry. Jim ended his full-time ministry serving a congregation in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Jim and Flo kicked off their 'retirement' by moving to Turin, Italy for three years where Jim served part-time at an English speaking church. The couple then returned to Rochester, New York, where their daughter Anne (Darren) was living. They found great joy in living back in Rochester. They spent a great deal of time with grandchildren, Heather (Mike), Meghan and Devan, and eventually great-grandchildren Carson, Casey, Cheyenne and Charlie. They were active in the community at both West Henrietta and Greece Baptist churches. Through Rochester Global Connections (RGC), they connected with foreign university students. It was here they met Yolanda, Barry and Harshitta, and Pritam and Ruchi. These relationships were dear to both Jim and Flo and considered each of these individuals as family.
Jim had an artistic side. He played harmonica, piano, organ and the banjo. He also enjoyed sketching throughout his life, primarily of human faces. The family recalls Jim connecting with a server, sketching the individual's likeness on a napkin or paper placemat and leaving it along with the tip. In retirement he advanced to watercolor and acrylic painting. His signature small acrylic paintings placed on easels can be found literally all over the world, as he or Flo would regularly give them away to friends/acquaintances/hosts and guests.
Jim and Flo moved to Georgia along with their beloved dog, Amber, in 2022. Their daughter Susan (Bob), her three children Sarah (Michael) and their newborn son Teddy James (named after Jim), Morgan (Joseph) and David (Jennifer) live close to manage medical and daily needs in a warmer climate. Son John relocated in 2024, to Georgia and has lovingly assisted his parents with their care.
Jim passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 13th.The family will come together to celebrate what would be Jim's 93rd birthday on December 6th. There will be a memorial service held in Rochester, New York at a later date in the Spring of 2026.
Jim spent most of his youth in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. Both a scholar and an athlete, Jim's life would be forever changed his senior year in high school when he was paired with a spirited co-ed to work on a school project. Despite their apparent differences in personalities, his quiet and thoughtful, hers energetic and spontaneous, Jim and Flo discovered they shared the core values of faith and a compassion for all people. This served as the foundation of a partnership that would last over 74 years.
Jim attended Haverford College outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania excelling both in the classroom and on the football field, where he served as the team captain. He assured Flo before he left that he had no plan to follow in his father's or grandfather's footsteps, but apparently God had a different plan. It was not long before he changed his major from pre-med to philosophy and thus began his lifelong pursuit of ministry and service.
Jim married his high school sweetheart, Florence Kappler, on August 13th, 1955 at Mount Lebanon Baptist Church where his father served. The pair moved to Rochester, New York and Jim entered the masters program at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. The final year of the masters program was spent in Germany where Jim studied at the University of Heidelberg while Flo taught kindergarten at an American military base. This experience likely sparked their shared passion for travel and for connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and with different life experiences.
In September of 1959, shortly after their return to the United States, Jim and Flo welcomed their first child Anne and the family moved to Potsdam, New York where Jim began his ministry serving an American Baptist congregation. From there he was called to serve a congregation in Kingston, New York. It was in Kingston that the family expanded with the adoption of their son John in June of 1964. In June of 1967, daughter Susan made an unexpected but welcomed appearance and the family was complete. A year after Susan's birth, Jim was called to serve in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In 1976, the family returned to the Rochester area when Jim answered a call to serve a congregation in Chili, New York. It was during this time that Jim completed his doctorate degree in ministry. Jim ended his full-time ministry serving a congregation in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Jim and Flo kicked off their 'retirement' by moving to Turin, Italy for three years where Jim served part-time at an English speaking church. The couple then returned to Rochester, New York, where their daughter Anne (Darren) was living. They found great joy in living back in Rochester. They spent a great deal of time with grandchildren, Heather (Mike), Meghan and Devan, and eventually great-grandchildren Carson, Casey, Cheyenne and Charlie. They were active in the community at both West Henrietta and Greece Baptist churches. Through Rochester Global Connections (RGC), they connected with foreign university students. It was here they met Yolanda, Barry and Harshitta, and Pritam and Ruchi. These relationships were dear to both Jim and Flo and considered each of these individuals as family.
Jim had an artistic side. He played harmonica, piano, organ and the banjo. He also enjoyed sketching throughout his life, primarily of human faces. The family recalls Jim connecting with a server, sketching the individual's likeness on a napkin or paper placemat and leaving it along with the tip. In retirement he advanced to watercolor and acrylic painting. His signature small acrylic paintings placed on easels can be found literally all over the world, as he or Flo would regularly give them away to friends/acquaintances/hosts and guests.
Jim and Flo moved to Georgia along with their beloved dog, Amber, in 2022. Their daughter Susan (Bob), her three children Sarah (Michael) and their newborn son Teddy James (named after Jim), Morgan (Joseph) and David (Jennifer) live close to manage medical and daily needs in a warmer climate. Son John relocated in 2024, to Georgia and has lovingly assisted his parents with their care.
Jim passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 13th.The family will come together to celebrate what would be Jim's 93rd birthday on December 6th. There will be a memorial service held in Rochester, New York at a later date in the Spring of 2026.
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