James Sanders Jennings

On June 30, 2024, James Sanders Jennings, known to his friends and family as Jim, died at the Sunrise of Arlington facility in Arlington, Virginia. Jim was born on April 30, 1932, in McAllen, Texas to Thomas Elmer Jennings and Ada Griffin Jennings. Jim was still an infant when his mother moved with him to Berry, Alabama where his mother and his maternal grandmother, Maddy Stanley Griffin, raised Jim. Jim graduated from Berry High School in 1948, and from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in History in 1952. While at Auburn, Jim lettered in track and served as an editor of the school newspaper, The Plainsman. Immediately after college, Jim served in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Austria during the Korean War. Jim started as a 2nd Lieutenant, and he was honorably discharged in September 1954. He retired from the Army Reserves in 1963 with the rank of Captain. Jim graduated from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1956 and from Georgetown University Law School in 1963. While at the Foreign Service School, Jim met the love of his life, Maureen Luces. Jim and Maureen were married from December 26, 1955, until her death on November 30, 2015. Jim was a Contracts Analyst with the U.S. Department of Navy, NAVAIR Systems Command. He retired from NAVAIR in September 1990. Jim was active within the Church of the Pilgrims in Washington, DC from the 1950s to the 1990s, and he took delight while at Pilgrims in assisting the poor, refugees, and the homeless of the community in numerous projects. He had a passion for photography, puzzles of all kinds, whittling, mysteries, Presidential biographies, and Pogo comics. Survivors include daughters Anne Wilcox (Dale) of Chester, Maryland; Mary Catherine Schneider (Ralph) of Ashton, Maryland; and Teresa Jennings (Michael Bromley) of Arlington, Virginia; and sons James Michael Jennings (Vilma Guzman) of Frederick, Maryland; and Thomas Jennings (Christine LoCascio) of Washington, DC; nine grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, two grandsons-in-law, and three great-grandchildren. Along with his wife, Jim is predeceased by his daughter Consuelo Mary Jennings who died in September 1960. Jim was particularly proud of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He often repeated to everyone that he considered their lives and their collective accomplishments to be his life’s work. The family suggests that contributions in honor of his memory be sent either to , LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation (www.lexisnexisrolfoundation.org) or to Children’s National Hospital (www.childrensnational.org). Visitation will be on Friday, July 5, 2024, at Murphy’s Funeral Home in Arlington, Virginia between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Falls Church, Virginia, officiated by Father Denis Donahue, on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland at 2:00pm.