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ΘΞ Chapter Eternal

In Memory of
Jim Lichtenberg, a 1203
January 22, 1958 - October 5, 1999

"Jim, you live on in our memories, through our actions and
always in our hearts."


Memoirs
Please email your memoirs regarding Jim to mglaccum@geosphereinc.com.


"I always felt a very close connection to Jim.  I can remember the first time we met.  I had just become a pledge, and he was the dressed-down old man in the corner of the dining area shooting his mouth off about how great the Republican Party was.  Jim always taught me to challenge conventional wisdom and to speak out.

'Days before my graduation, I somberly shook hands with Jim at Sutter's and said, "Well, we'll probably never see each other again."  Happily, I saw him quite frequently after RPI, and he never let me live that down.  He was a true friend and a true Theta Xi.  I will miss him dearly, but will always remember him."

 
--YITB, Chris Blanc, A1404


"I still remember the first time I met him.  He had not been back to the House for several years when he came up for 6294 in 1991?.  At the time, no one knew who he was;  Renzo, A1327, I believe, was one of the very few Brothers (if not the only one) to even say hello to him.  Of course, Jim looked like the Devil himself with his mustache and sideburns.
'He then showed up one day during the summer that year with one of his hotrods while a bunch of us were sitting at a picnic table in front of the House.  I remembered him being at 6294 and when I mentioned that fact he asked me, "Well, why didn't you come up and say hello to me?"  Deeply embarrassed, I resolved to make amends.  Jim wanted to come up for parties and other social events and so we made sure that Jim always got a phone call when something was up.
'I probably don't know him as well as some of the guys one or two years younger than me but I believe he was always extremely touched that a bunch of college-age kids were interested in including him in and keeping him informed of House events.  I would love to hear from some of other guys about their own stories.

"On a more personal note,  I stopped by the Chapter House several weeks ago returning from a business trip.  I was very pleased to see the House in good shape;  but, I was much more impressed with the response from the Brothers given to a visiting alumni.  I think Jim would have been pleased as well."


--YITB, Matt Glaccum A1324


"As most of you know, i was a late bloomer as far as our "family" is concerned.  As a pledge I was very hesitant about meeting alumni and getting crap about being so old .  My first interaction with Jim was awesome.  We talked about the Velvet Underground and sports and God knows what else for about 2 hours.  He made me feel very comfortable and personified what alumni should be to an active brother as well as a pledge. I was ecstatic when i was initiated (finally), but i really felt the bonds when Jim grabbed me at a Castle (what THEY call) party and introduced me to some random  as "My brother Kumar" . I can't tell you how good that felt.

"I hope, somehow, he knows how lucky we all were to have known him.

"I will miss my brother, I will miss my friend."


--Y.I.T.B. (and yes... F.O.A.D.), N. Kumar Ramaswamy A1429


"I met Jim for the first time at 6294 in 1991(?).  He was the old dude at the basement bar who looked straight out of That 70's show.  You would never know by looking at him how bright, successful and personable he was.  I only had a chance to see him 3 or 4 times (at random 6294s, 3 to 3s and at Penis Paul's wedding).  What amazed me most about him was how much detail he remembered about discussions we had years earlier.  He remembered more about what my girlfriend (currently wife) said and did at Paul's wedding than I did (alcohol may have played a small part in this).  I got the feeling he was this way with everyone.  He not only cared about what you were up to (work, personal life, etc.) but remembered and asked the next time you were at the bar or in the basement with him."


--Dave Fowkes A1275


"How is it possible to accurately summarize the impact that Jim Lichtenberg had on each one of us in the Theta Xi Brotherhood?  That is not easy to accomplish with words.  Every Theta Xi brother who ever had the privilege to know Jim, and have a conversation about anything at all with him, whether it was about baseball, girls, brotherhood, politics, friendship, Theta Xi history, or life in general .... you were touched by him in some way.  I know I was.  Jim was one of a kind.  Expressively opinionated, good-hearted, rebellious, passionate, an individual.  Jim is and will always be a unique person in our thoughts.  He will be there, in our thoughts and memories, for the rest of our lives.
'I recall countless Thursdays when we would head down to Sutter's.  Cheap wings, beer-stained floors, and my brothers.  Sure, we were lured by the inherent urge to constantly spike our BAC.  That was only part of it.  Jim was there.  We could count on that.  Jim would come there for us.  We would go there for Jim.  He would be sipping on his white russian, dispensing his thoughts and listening to ours.  He was a true friend and brother.  A bunch of us stayed with Jim for a few days during Woodstock II.   I remember Jim's home trading office (a couch, computer, tv and phone) and his guitar and mic.  Two words musically for Jim: Grand Funk!   He created his own way of life that went against the grain and let him do what he wanted to do.  I feel that I learned a lot from him in that respect, and I know many of us feel the same way."

"We're gonna miss you, man."

 
--Adam A1392
"Jim was the first alumni I ever met.  At my very first zoo party as a pledge, "zoo man" got ahold of me (literally) and made a declaration.  Jim was never to be without a beer.  As a result, I got to meet jim the way any theta xi should meet another, over a lot of beer with loud music and sage chicks.  He always stuck by the house and his donations made the fall party of 1994 possible.  I was treasurer and the house was REALLY strapped for cash, mortgages payments were late, the cable was about to be shut off, and we still were able to thow the party mostly because of the cash Jim supplied.  It really sucks that he's gone."


--FOAD, bc A1377


"I was with Ben that first zoo party night, and I too spent the better part of the party getting beers for Jim.  As I recall Matt Glaccum had his knee in a brace and we were instructed to always have a cold beer in Matt's hands because he could not get to the bar easily.  When we brought the first beer to Matt, he made us always get a beer for Jim also since he was the oldest alumni present.  Everytime I brought Jim a beer he had a story to tell or a friend to meet.  He was just an all-around great guy who did more for the house than I think any of us realize.  He was always there for the house when we needed some advice or money.  Rest in Peace, Jim."


--FOAD & YITB, A1373


"For those of you who remember Jim, you know that these stories and thoughts don't even begin to scratch the surface of what a positive person Jim was and how he touched us all.  And for those of you who didn't get the  pleasure of meeting him, maybe these memories will give you some idea of  how fortunate we all were to have known him.  Jim, you will be missed."


--YITB, A1358


"That is sad news indeed. Jim was the source and center of legend surrounding pre-Mike Rivera Theta Xi. During my five years ('90-'95) Jim had re-established himself among the brotherhood, but after hearing how many weddings and brother's personal event he had attended, I didn't realize just how close he was.

'I have no one single, distinct fond memory, but more of a collage of memories made up of late nights at Sutters or the Puritan (or other bars) each of which went something like this: Jim (who usually remained fixed against one wall) would be entertaining a cloud of brothers hovering around him with stories and loud raucous tales of lewd conduct and general buffoonery from days gone by -- the epitome of fraternal bar talk! Older brothers valued his experience and wisdom, younger brothers were simply in awe of his presence. We all valued his friendship. He will be greatly missed."

 

--Peter Torelli A1353

"It's sort of funny all of us came from a fraternity house that, let's face it, was (and probably is) considered more of a party house than anything else.  However, along the way we seemed to have accidentally established great and lasting friendships.  One of the great friendships I stumbled on (sometimes drunk) was one with Jim.  Like everyone else I had that same first impression.  "Wow, that dude is straight from the 70's...how old is he?"  But as soon as you started to talk to him you realized he was very much a part of your life, your generation.  Dave Fowkes, A1275 said it best when he mentioned that Jim seemed to always know what was going on in your life more than you did.  That takes a special person.  What really sticks in mind, besides those jeans and that suit that he seemed to wear to anything and everything (that shit was classic), is that Jim didn't live down the street from the house.  Every time he would make an appearance it was clearly out of his way.  But that was the type of guy he was.  Jim, you are a remarkable human being and you will always have a special place in my life.  Keep it real up there."


--FOAD & YITB, Pud (Jim still called me that) A1406


"I wanted nothing more than to be held in the same stature as Jim.  As an active, I would see Jim in a corner with a crowd of enamored Brothers and think, "When I'm an alumnus, I want to be just like Jim.  I want people to look up to me the way we look up to him.  I want to be the one who's holding up the wall with a beer in my hand passing on advice that sometimes seems wilder than his hair.  I want to be that guy."  What I didn't realize was that there is and never will be another Jim.  When I die, I expect to see Jim holding up a wall in some corner of heaven with over a thousand Brothers of the Alpha Chapter hanging on every word.  Thanks, Jim...for everything."

"Oh.  And, Jim.  Say hi to Soren for us.  We miss you both more than words can say."


--YITB, Nino A1415


"A few days ago I sent an email message claiming I would never send another before I was a PhD.  Regretfully I felt that after reading the wonderful memories that everyone has shared regarding our beloved brother Jim Lichentenberg, I feel that I need to share some of the great moments he has left with me and my family.

"Yesterday morning I attended Jim's funeral and listened to the words that his sisters said about Jim.  These words brought tears to the eyes of every person in the church and bring tears to my eyes again now.  In addition to being the consumate brother that he was, he was a great family man and a truly selfess person.  One of Jim's sisters phrased things very appropriately by saying that he was a man wise beyond his years who left us early.

'I first met Jim in the summer of 1988 when he was laid off from a job on Wall Sreet.  I was taking summer classes and just had knee surgery and was lamenting about my former girlfriend ( and present wife).  Jim came back to RPI that summer to take classes.  As soon as I met him he turned into one of my greatest friends.  He would listen to my laments and give me advice and talk about life in general with an outlook seen by few.  I remember him playing his guitar and watching Yankee games.  I remember the nights at Sutter's.  I remember talking with Jim and telling him all about my girlfriend.  I introduced them and came to Jim for advice before I proposed.  Jim, not only became a great friend to me but to my family and we all lament his passing.  From the times I had with Jim and what I knew of him there probably is not a single brother since 1988 that has not been touched in some positive way by A1203.  I as all of you mourn his passing but I hope that each and every one of you will remember the good times and the care and love that this wonderful brother had for every one of us.

"Jim we love you and will miss you."


--YITB FOAD, A1295  Paul Vescio


"Jim is one of the coolest guys I ever met.  When I think back to the college daze, one of the things that still stands out in my mind , above the smell of beer and the smokey bars, is his distingtive laugh.  It matched his usual appearance and sounded profoundly evil at times, he looked and sounded like something out of the movie "hellraiser"....but in reality, nothing could be farther from the truth.  He is and will always be one of the most boldly genuine people I have ever known.  Whether it be just a simple conversation or a life-size decision, I believe Jim really made a difference in all of our lives.  Let us hope that we all can acheive something as significant in our lives.  Take it easy Jim."


--A1390


"I just want to say that Jim was one of the most influential friends I ever had. If you dared to approach his intimidating stature, you were pleasantly surprised at the sincerity and thoughtfulness that followed.  I had some of my fondest memories of Theta Xi with Jim. I will always treasure his friendship. He cared deeply about the zoo and the brothers.  I hope one day that I could come half as close to being the Brother he was. He was the example I will always use as what a Brother should be.

"I am sad to see him go. I am sad to know he had cancer. I am sad that our future brothers will never get the opportunity to know him.  Please lets do something, donate, commemorate, fix or build something in his name. I could not stand the thought of future brothers passing through the house without something to tell them he existed and was an important part of what shaped our fraternity.

"Jim, may you rest in peace with God. May you with all of our other Brothers passed look down upon our Fraternity and guide our future.  We will never forget you."

 
--Y.I.T.B., A1327 Renzo

"Jim and I had a conversation at 6294 in my senior year.  I had six weeks before I started my new job and I wanted to travel before I began working.  I asked Jim for some vacation advice.  I mentioned Europe, the Caribbean, or maybe a cross country road trip.  It was small talk really.  I had my heart set on going to Turkey for the first time.  I was asking Jim, more or less, a rhetorical question.  Jim said, "If I had six weeks, I would spend it with my parents.  Europe will always be there, man.  You won't always be able to spend that kind of time with your folks.  In four years, you changed and they changed.  Yeah, I would spend that time getting to know my parents again."  I took his advice, canceled my plans, and spent the time with my family.  The following Spring my parents separated and eventually divorced.  They sold the house I grew up in and it was all gone.  I can never get that back, but I will always have the Summer of '95.

"You could say that Jim always knew what was important.  Thank you, friend.  Thank you, my brother."

 
--Y.I.T.B, Hayri, a1384

"Jim, it's hard to find the best way to say thanks for all that you have given us.  In school we thought we could find the answers ourselves, but you were there to help without us even knowing.  I remember walking to classes with Jim in 1995, Shane's stereo blasting and thumping down Sage Ave as we headed towards Troy building.  Jim had spoken with professors who would let him sit in on their class for the entire semester for nothing.  After graduating Jim confided in me that about those times walking to classes that he thought it was the greatest thing that he could, after 15 years of being away from school, just show up and walk to class like he never skipped a beat, shootin' the shit the whole way down like it was 1979.  I thought it was cool that he would walk to class with me.  I didn't know until then how much he appreciated it.

"It seemed like every time we had a party or house function Jim was there, and sometime early in the evening he would duck out of sight for an hour or so to catch the end of the Yankee game.  After he finished watching the game he would always seek me out, no matter where I was to thank me for letting him watch the game.  Jim always went out of his way for all of us, I just wish we had a chance to do more for him.  The world survives on people like Jim because he makes us all better people.  We see how he treats people and the response he gets and we try to emulate him, though nobody could do it like Jim."

"It's obvious that Jim was a great baseball fan, he played for Rensselaer for a couple of seasons.  He said he was one hell of a ballplayer, and Jim wasn't one to embellish much so he must have been.  During my first few years Jim had always talked about having a catch but things never seemed to work out.  I think it was my first senior year before we finally had that catch.  It's funny what a little thing like throwing a baseball back and forth can do for a friendship.  That was the only time I had a catch with Jim.  I look forward to the next one.

"I couldn't stop thinking about Jim while I was watching the baseball playoffs this past week.  Jim, now that you have eternal front row tickets to the Yankees you can watch Pedro dismantle your beloved franchise.  You didn't think it was going to be that easy to get away from me, did you?

"Forty years is an awful short time to spend on this Earth.  Jim, you did it in style.  I'll miss you."


--YITB,  Jeff Tracy A1410


"I remember the first time I met Jim.  It was at a Banzai party during the fall of '95.  A well-timed pledge-brother wrestling match had broken out in the foyer.  As shirtless men straddled each other while raining blows of jello shots at nearby spectators, Jim was holding court in his usual corner with five or six good looking women (for R.P.I. of course) who were hanging on his every word.  Taking a look around the room, it wasn't hard to see why I was convinced that Jim was the smartest guy in the house."

"During the time I was privileged to know Jim, I was always puzzled by him.  Although I had many conversations with Jim and found out much about his life, there was something that he possessed that always seemed to elude me.  I never understood why a man his age, who lives an hour away, would meet us at Elda's on a Wednesday night, just because he heard that we might stop there after an IFC event or pledge raid.  I couldn't figure out how he could remember every pledge, brother, alumni, and girlfriend's name after a brief introduction while I struggled with, as a pledge, remembering everybody on E-Board's name.  And at 6294 a few years ago, when we welcomed Soren's family as our guests, I was impressed with the poise and sincerity he showed to the King family when he spoke of his memories of Soren.  During a time in the night when things were getting a little out of hand, he knew the perfect thing to say.

'I couldn't seem to grasp what it was about Jim that enabled him to do all of this and more.  After taking some time to reflect on my memories of Jim, I realized why he could do all of this.  It was simple—Jim truly cared.  He truly cared about the house and everyone in it.  He cared enough to get to know all of us.  I feel blessed that I got to know him.

'Jim was a man who always knew what to say; he never forgot what you said; and what he said should never be forgotten."


--YITB, Tom Doherty, A1448


"Well, we were slow in getting the news about Jim's passing. But, I felt it necessary to contribute to the portrait of Jim that has been painted. If there is one thing I will always remember about Jim, it is how he was genuinely concerned for each brother in our Fraternity. When we spoke with Jim we spoke with HIM, and not some facade. He expected the same from us. This quickly created the trust and commitment that we all remember from Jim. He made a point of knowing our lives. The last time I saw Jim was at Matt F.'s wedding. We had the pleasure of sitting with him at the reception. Jim had a way of directing the conversation to include everyone at the table. He even remembered and mentioned our children by name and gave us parenting advice.

"He always took time out when we needed him to be a friend. I will miss you, Jim. I will miss your friendship and your welcome smile."


--YITB, James Soisson A1366


"The first time I meet Jim was at an RSE party in the Fall of '94. I was a new pledge at the time and was just getting to know all the Actives and had not met any Alumni yet. They introduced me to Jim and my first thought was "What is this guy doing at a college party?!" Even though I was only a pledge, he talked to me throughout the evening, and I immediately sensed that he really wanted to get to know me and wasn't putting on a facade like so many other people I knew. I also vividly remember Jim when I was a pledge nearing initiation, and I distinctly remember being very happy to see him present during my initiation and to be able to call him my Brother.

"I continued to see Jim at House events for years to come, and I will always remember the fact that he always seemed to go out of his way to greet you and genuinely seemed glad to hear how you were doing. I also will never forget all the long conversations I had with Jim and that he held very strong opinions. Though I never felt pressured to change my opinion (if they differed from his) because of his age or strong views."

I remember asking Jim for advice many times during my yearlong tenure as House President. Unlike parents or a school advisor to whom you may go to for advice, he actually treated my like an equal and didn't try to dictate what he thought I should do. He just gave me good, honest advice, and I wish I had the chance to thank him once more.

"Another good memory of Jim was how he helped out when Soren died. I remember being House President at the time and for that 62 we invited Soren's family up to celebrate and remember Soren with us. I went stag to 62 because I knew I had to be host to the King family, but I dreaded (in a way) having to sit at the head table with them and make conversation considering we all just experienced Soren's loss. I asked Jim if he and his date would let me introduce them to Soren's family and if he (and his date) would sit at dinner with all of us. He was happy to do so and his presence at the table made the evening more enjoyable for everyone as Jim had many wonderful memories of Soren to share with his family. At the last minute I asked him if he would feel comfortable saying something about Soren after the dinner. All Brothers present can remember how eloquent Jim could be. The humorous part was that after his speech he told me he wished I gave him a lot more time to prepare so he could have said something better! I thought he was great and would have loved to hear what he would have said if given more time!

"Jim is definitely a brother who has touched my heart deeply, and he will be sorely missed."

--Jason Trommer, A1434

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