James "Jim" Cella

James "Jim" Cella of Clifton Park, 78, passed away surrounded by his family at his home on Saturday, January 4, 2025 after a fierce battle against prostate brain cancer. His generous and loving spirit is carried on by Cheryl, his wife of 55 years; his three sons, Michael (Julia), Matthew (Laurie), and Kevin (Susan); and his three grandchildren, Cody, Anthony, and Lily. He is also survived by his grandcats Poe, Pixel, and Phinn and his granddogs Jasper and Zelda (the latter of whom was by his side to the very end). Jim was born to Richard and Jean Cella in Newark, New Jersey on December 15, 1946. As a boy growing up in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, home to some of the best "lemon ice" in the contiguous United States, he was introduced to his first chemistry set, which sparked his lifelong love of chemistry. His passion for this central science– "everything is chemistry," he would often say–carried him through the ranks of higher education as he earned his BS in Chemistry from Seton Hall University in 1968 and his PhD in Organic Chemistry at Ohio State University in 1973. After graduating from Ohio State, he served as an Officer in the Army Medical Service Corps for three years, conducting research in medicinal chemistry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was then hired by General Electric Global Research as a principle scientist, performing research in polymer synthesis and silicone chemistry until his retirement in 2009. Among his many achievements, he holds over 75 patents and was awarded the American Chemical Society Award for Industrial Chemistry in 2010. He was highly respected as a mentor and he was also committed to inspiring future generations of chemists. While at GE, he teamed with Dan Brunelle to perform many chemistry magic shows at his sons' elementary school and they went on to bring their "Is it Chemistry or is it Magic?" act to numerous GE Global family day events. After retiring from GE, he worked alongside Cheryl, Michael, and Julia at the family restaurant, the Cella Bistro, where, among many other roles, he worked on the line and thereby came full circle–because cooking is chemistry. In addition to his love of chemistry, Jim, known to many as the "World's Greatest Athlete," was a fierce competitor who loved shooting basketballs (he would shoot 100 free throws before going to work each day), playing tennis, riding his bike, and, more recently, attacking the pickleball court. He loved baseball most of all and was an avid Yankees fan. An excellent pitcher, Jim was asked to try out for the Pittsburgh Pirates after leading his American Legion team to the national tournament; even though he never made it to the big leagues, he went on to become a star player for GE Global's softball team. Jim also loved to sing, a love that manifested in ways that include being a member of St. Edward's choir, harmonizing with his brothers, and singing along to the Laurie Berkner Band, even long after his grandchildren outgrew both Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco. Most of all, he loved spending time with family and friends. He was big hearted and kind and was always able to appreciate the simple joys of life. Whenever anyone would ask him how he was doing the answer was always the same: "Never better." Calling hours will be held from 4pm to 7pm on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at the Glenville Funeral Home, 9 Glenridge Road, Glenville, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10am on Friday, January 10, 2025 at St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, 569 Clifton Park Center Road, Clifton Park. Burial with military honors will immediately follow at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jim's name may be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org) or American Cancer Society Astra Zeneca Hope Lodge @ 125 S. Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130 (617-396-5500).