James D Dunsmore

Born in 1936 to William and Elizabeth Dunsmore in Pelham, New York, Jim was the second youngest child of nine. Jim is survived by his wife Susan “Sue” (Hansmeier) and his three daughters Susie Rieser (engaged to Jon McLaughlin), Valerie Engel, and Janet Hennessey, his son-in-law Peter Hennessey, his grandchildren, Cecily, Trey, Mimi, Daniel, and Drew as well as his sister Ann and brothers Jack and Tommy. Family members passed include beloved children Jimmy and Cindy, his parents William and Elizabeth and his siblings, Bill, Margaret, Betty, Dick and Joe.

Jim, like his father William and his brothers Bill, Dick and Jack, attended the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. He graduated in 1961. There he met Sue for the first time outside of the then English building on 34th and Chestnut. A devout Catholic, Jim prayed for weeks prior to meeting Sue to find the love of his life. They married December 30, 1961 and enjoyed 61 years of a loving marriage. Jim had a 45 year career in insurance and as a financial advisor, and was most recently with LPL Financial.

From 1954 to 1956, he trained with the 82nd Airborne Division and completed 21 total parachute jumps. Jim walked on to the Penn Football team in 1959, an Ivy League Championship year, and played through the 1960 season. At Penn, he was also DKE and met one of his closest friends, Bob “Snuff” Campbell. Years later, upon tragically losing two children, Jimmy (1970- 1991) and Cindy (1972- 1999), Jim became even closer to God and Penn Football. He prayed every day and often attended mass seven days a week. Between the years of 1992 - 2016, you would find him on the sideline of every Penn Football game wearing red pants and fiercely rooting on his “adopted” sons.

Jim was best known for his huge personality, boundless sense of humor, boisterous voice, and warm embrace. For those he cared most about, he was there in the hardest of times–always checking in. There will be a private mass, and a public visitation on Wednesday, December 21 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Alleva Funeral Home: 1724 E. Lancaster Ave, Paoli, PA, 19301. A private burial will be held in St. Louis, MO where he will be laid to rest alongside his children, Jimmy and Cindy.