A.J. "Jim" Brinkerhoff

2036 - 2023

Jim put his running shoes on for one last time on Monday, March 6, 2023, and met his biggest cheerleader, Carol, who was waiting for him to finish the BIG race.

He was born to his parents, Walter and Helen, in Canandaigua, N.Y., and grew up in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of New York State along with his brother, David Brinkerhoff.

He was a proud graduate of the Purdue University College of Engineering in 1958. Upon his graduation, he entered the US Army and was posted to Heilbronn, Germany. It was there that and he and Carol began their many world travels together. They also began their family there, having their three children, Zoe Brinkerhoff Wells, Derek Peter Brinkerhoff and Laura Brinkerhoff Young. Soon after, they returned to Painted Post, N.Y., where he was employed by Ingersoll Rand Engineering. Moving to the "big city," Ithaca, N.Y., Jim found his next calling. He began employment at Cornell University in Information Systems/Alumni Affairs and retired after happily working there for more than 34 years.

Jim could fix anything, and his love of cars inspired him to build a dune buggy from bottom to top in 1971. He was an early supporter at Watkins Glen Racetrack and spent many happy hours in the timing block of the track, timing for Formula 1 cars. Jim was an athlete from early in his life. In the 1980s, he began training for and running in triathlons, which he continued well into his 70s, often winning in the "Over 50" age bracket.

Upon his retirement from Cornell, Jim and Carol moved south to Charlottesville, Va., and became the support team for their four grandchildren, Anna Young, Daniel Brinkerhoff Young, James Wells, and Cassidy Wells in all the most important ways. Jim cheered them from the sidelines, clapped loudly at music performances, and walked and rode bikes with them (he even let the kids keep up with him sometimes!). He loved to share his passions for nature, tech, cars, and history, and to embrace his grandchildren's own passions. Jim was also a dedicated servant of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and community volunteer.

Memorial gifts, if inclined, may be made to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, N.Y..

The Cremation Society of Virginia has coordinated his final care.