Dr. James A. Van Fleet

"Jim," 68, Naples, Fla., former WSU faculty member, died suddenly Sept. 26, 2008. He was a graduate of the University of Scranton; earned a Masters degree from San Marcos University, Lima, Peru, where he was a Fulbright Scholar, and a PhD., Economics, from Syracuse University. After college, he joined the Peace Corps serving in the Dominican Republic. Jim then joined Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, D.C., as a project manager supervising development loans to Central American countries. He entered academia in the early 70's at University of Pacific, Stockton, Calif. He was then appointed by the Ford Administration to head the US AID mission in Bolivia. He then successfully taught at Wichita State University, University of Louisville, University of Toledo, and East Carolina University, also serving as Dean of Foreign Students at Louisville and Toledo. Jim was fluent in five languages. He retired to Naples, where he used his skills in Spanish in many civic capacities and volunteered extensively in community activities. Jim was a lifetime high achiever. He became an Eagle Scout at 13, and was editor of his college year book. An early hobby in genealogy led to a lifelong fascination with the Dutch colonial period in America, and the Van Fleet family's arrival in 1635. He published his research in his book "Four Centuries Americans." Jim loved foreign travel and visited more than 100 countries and all seven continents.