James Edward Nevitt ’57

James Edward Nevitt ’57 passed away on May 19, 2011. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease. At the time of his death he was living in Everett, Pennsylvania. Jim came to Dartmouth from Bedford, Pennsylvania, majored in history and participated in the band, wrestling and the wrestling club (president) and NROTC as a “regular.” “Jim had a singular accomplishment while at Dartmouth: He got Dartmouth to accept wrestling as a varsity sport,” according to Dan Searby ’57. This involved scheduling matches with other New England schools and finding a practice gym (in the writer Corey Ford’s home), a coach (Major Linsey of the U.S. Marine Corps) and a sometimes office (Bob Blackmun’s suite after the fall, when the football coaches were out recruiting). Following college Jim served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy for 10 years, rising to the rank of commander/executive officer. He then joined Delta Airlines, where he worked as a 767 captain, retiring in 1995. As he wrote in our 50th reunion book, “Flying took over as a career, but Dartmouth was always there as a rock to cling to.” Jim is survived by his wife, Andrea, and sons Andrew and Robert. Classmates Bob Burton and Dave Cook remember Jim from shared NROTC experiences. Burton described Jim as “a pistol” whose death “leaves a hole in some good memories.” Searby added that Jim “was a great guy who always supported Dartmouth to the extent of his resources.”