Obituary for James W. Allan
James Winter Allan passed away peacefully at home on May 17, 2022. He was able to spend
his last few days with family telling stories and sharing memories. A highlight of these days was
getting to video call his good friend in New York one last time.
James was born at home in Astoria, Queens, New York where he lived with his parents, James
Frazier and Davina Menzies, and his older sister, Evelyn Davina. From the ages of 8 years to sixteen
years he spent summers at Lake Delaware Boys Camp. At LDBC, James began his military
training, honed his baseball skills, and became the Captain of A Company his graduating year.
He returned to camp throughout his life for alumni events and had always said that the positive
influence camp had on him continued throughout his life.
James worked with his father at St. Bartholomew’s Church on Park Avenue in New York City.
Here he learned carpentry skills from his father who had been a master carpenter in Scotland.
After graduating high school, James took a job as a draftsman before serving in the United
States Navy from 1954 to 1958 aboard the destroyer escort, USS Tweedy.
James married Christina Louise Sambroski in August 1958. James became a girl dad as he and
Christina raised three girls, Lisa, Karen, and Kim in Wappingers Falls, NY. He loved taking his
girls camping and hiking in the Catskills. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and later golfing with
his friends. Many stories were told over the years about these adventures.
From 1964 until he retired in 1992 James worked for IBM, mainly at the Thomas J. Watson
Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY where he was part of a team working on computer
chip design.
Although his career was in computers, James did not own a personal computer until after his
retirement. At this point James began researching his family history. Eventually, he spent hours
each day on the computer researching and communicating with people from all over the world.
Genealogy became a passion that he would pursue almost to his last day. He made many trips
to Scotland, where both his parents were born, to gather documents that would help him tell the
story of his family. He began a book and hoped that someone will continue the work he spent
years on.
In addition to his daughters, James leaves behind six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. In
August, family will gather in his beloved Catskills to celebrate his life.
In lieu of flowers please send Donations in his memory can be sent to Lake Delaware Boys Camp (LDBC) PO Box 31 Delhi, NY 13753, or Click here to donate online.
his last few days with family telling stories and sharing memories. A highlight of these days was
getting to video call his good friend in New York one last time.
James was born at home in Astoria, Queens, New York where he lived with his parents, James
Frazier and Davina Menzies, and his older sister, Evelyn Davina. From the ages of 8 years to sixteen
years he spent summers at Lake Delaware Boys Camp. At LDBC, James began his military
training, honed his baseball skills, and became the Captain of A Company his graduating year.
He returned to camp throughout his life for alumni events and had always said that the positive
influence camp had on him continued throughout his life.
James worked with his father at St. Bartholomew’s Church on Park Avenue in New York City.
Here he learned carpentry skills from his father who had been a master carpenter in Scotland.
After graduating high school, James took a job as a draftsman before serving in the United
States Navy from 1954 to 1958 aboard the destroyer escort, USS Tweedy.
James married Christina Louise Sambroski in August 1958. James became a girl dad as he and
Christina raised three girls, Lisa, Karen, and Kim in Wappingers Falls, NY. He loved taking his
girls camping and hiking in the Catskills. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and later golfing with
his friends. Many stories were told over the years about these adventures.
From 1964 until he retired in 1992 James worked for IBM, mainly at the Thomas J. Watson
Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY where he was part of a team working on computer
chip design.
Although his career was in computers, James did not own a personal computer until after his
retirement. At this point James began researching his family history. Eventually, he spent hours
each day on the computer researching and communicating with people from all over the world.
Genealogy became a passion that he would pursue almost to his last day. He made many trips
to Scotland, where both his parents were born, to gather documents that would help him tell the
story of his family. He began a book and hoped that someone will continue the work he spent
years on.
In addition to his daughters, James leaves behind six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. In
August, family will gather in his beloved Catskills to celebrate his life.
In lieu of flowers please send Donations in his memory can be sent to Lake Delaware Boys Camp (LDBC) PO Box 31 Delhi, NY 13753, or Click here to donate online.