James Cioffi

CIOFFI, JAMES CLIFTON PARK - James "Jack" Cioffi, 74, of 6 Stonegate Road, died on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady. He was born on September 12, 1937, in Rutland, VT to the late Peter and Katherine (Moore) Cioffi. Mr. Cioffi was a 1955 graduate of Mount St. Joseph Academy in Rutland, VT, where he was a member of the 1954 Vermont State Championship basketball team. He earned a Bachelors degree from Castleton State College in 1959, a Masters degree in Special Education from Russell Sage College in 1965, and a Masters degree in remedial reading from SUNY Plattsburgh in 1968. Mr. Cioffi began his career as a teacher in Chester, VT, and in 1960 he was appointed as the Director of Reading in Corinth, NY. In 1971 he became the Director of Reading and Language Arts for the Shenendehowa Central School District, and in 1979 he was appointed as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. He retired from Shenendehowa as the Deputy Superintendent in 1992 to take a position as Superintendent of the Rutland, VT Central School District. He was also an adjunct professor at the College of Saint Rose, Russell Sage College, and Elmira College. In 1985, he was Chairman of the Small Business Council of the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. In 1986 he served on the Chamber's Board of Directors and was elected Chairman of the Board in 1988. Watch for him in the movie, The Place Beyond the Pines in 2012. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patricia Byrns Cioffi; daughters Sarah Cioffi of Scotia and Stephanie (Jorge) Cioffi-Franke of Orefield, PA; grandchildren, Evan, James, and Samuel Franke, and Sophia Constantino and Lucy Crounse of Scotia, NY. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Lou Cioffi of Rutland, VT, and predeceased by his brother, Peter Cioffi, of Rutland, VT. Calling hours will be on Friday evening, December 9 from 6-8 p.m. and on Saturday morning, December 10 from 9 - 10:30 am at the Gordon C Emerick Funeral Home, 1550 Rte. 9 in Clifton Park. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 10 at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, Ushers. Interment will be in the Jonesville Cemetery, Clifton Park, NY Funeral arrangements have been entrusted by the family to the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home, 1550 Route 9, Clifton Park, NY 12065. 519-371-5454