James A. Delaney Ph.D.

FINNEYTOWN - Even when he wasn't in the classroom, Jim Delaney was always teaching.

Mr. Delaney, a professor of mathematics and computer science at Xavier University for more than three decades, died Thursday at Good Samaritan Hospital of pneumonia. He was 76.

"He was born to be a teacher," said his daughter, Elizabeth Dean of Georgetown, Ohio. "Whether it was his professional career or his grandkids, he was always teaching in a very patient and effective way."

Mr. Delaney loved to travel, including long train trips by Amtrak, Dean said.

"For him, it was almost like the journey was more important than the destination," she said. "He just enjoyed riding through the countryside."

Growing up in North College Hill and attending parochial schools, Mr. Delaney attended seminary, including a year in Rome, where he was a classmate of Daniel Pilarczyk, former archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

"He was so devoted to his family," said his wife, Marianne Delaney of Finneytown. "He would see the archbishop and laugh and say, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."

Mr. Delaney returned home and earned his bachelor's degree at Xavier and then worked as a tool-and-die maker at General Electric Aircraft Engines. He then earned a doctoral degree in mathematics at the University of Cincinnati, before joining the XU faculty.

He was there when XU bought one of its early computers and he supervised its computer center in the 1960s. From 1975 to 1983, he was director of XU's Computer Science program.

Mr. Delaney retired in 1997.

Since then, he volunteered at the Clovernook Center for the Blind. He was an excellent bridge player and bowler, his wife said, and loved walks in the woods and bird-watching.

In addition to his wife and daughter, survivors include a son, James Delaney of Buffalo, N.Y.; another daughter, Laura Muse of Montgomery; three sisters, Sister Ruth Agnes Delaney of Park Hills, Peggy Peter of Groesbeck and Kay Allen of Cheviot; a brother, John Delaney of Cincinnati; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his sister Ruth Fisher.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Vivian Church, 7600 Winton Road, Finneytown, with visitation preceding the service at 9:30 a.m.

Burial will follow the service at Gates of Heaven cemetery.

Memorials: Clovernook Center for the Blind, 7000 Hamilton Ave., North College Hill, OH 45231.

By Cliff Peale • cpeale@enquirer.com