James Andrew Tibbetts

James Andrew Tibbetts, 69, of McGaheysville, VA, died December 7,  2011, at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Jim was born on January 26, 1942, in Lynn, Mass., the oldest son of  Harold and Dorothy Tibbetts.  He served in the U.S. Air Force from  1962 to 1966.  He received degrees from the North Shore Community  College in Beverly, MA, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst,  MA, and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.  For many years, he  taught English at the National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C.

He is survived by his sister, Joanne Mulready of Hampton, NH, and her  children Rick Mulready, Patty Ross, and Christine (and Michael)  Jacobson, and her grandchildren, Lexie and Logan Ross, and Brynach and  Collin Hoyt.  He is also survived by his brother, Robert Tibbetts of   Broad Brook, CT, and his children Patrick Tibbetts and Alison Beach,  and his grandchildren Matthew and Megan Tibbetts,  Evan Nemeth, and  Abigail and Jordan Beach.

He also leaves behind his best friends, Elizabeth and Hannah Scott,  and scores of other friends and former students who will all sorely  miss his stories and wit.  A celebration of his life will be held at  Jim’s church, the Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on  January 15, 2012, at 3 p.m.

As Jim requested, the Rev. Emma Chattin  will coordinate the service, with Rev. Mike Quayle and Rev. Amy Yount,  a former student of Jim's, assisting. blue stone sky will provide  music for the service.

 Memories of Jim can be  posted on the website of the Cremation Society of Virginia,  www.virginiacremate.com, under the obituaries tab. You may also send them to pat@HUUweb.org and they will be posted on this page. Memorial  contributions can be made to the Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalists,  4101 Rawley Pike, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, or the charity of your  choice.