James Edgar Syphers

Syphers—James Edgar Syphers, 90, on January 8, 2024, at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital in Uniontown, Pa. James was born on February 21, 1933, to Albion Syphers and Mary Gray in Greenland, N.H. James worked on farms during his youth before graduating from Portsmouth High School in 1950. In the summer of 1950, James attended a Billy Graham rally where he felt called to become a minister.

James attended the University of New Hampshire (UNH) during the Korean War, enrolling in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). After being released from ROTC on grounds of conscience, he filed as a conscientious objector with his draft board. James performed his CO service as a peace intern in upstate New York. During this time he was arrested for civil disobedience when he refused to enter an air raid shelter.

James graduated from UNH with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, then earned a master’s of divinity from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology. He served two Congregational churches as pastor and two Methodist churches as assistant pastor. When filling out forms about ministerial duties, James regularly listed “preaching” last. Helping people was what he valued.

James attended the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Social Work from 1963 to 1965. In 1963, he organized western Pennsylvania participants in the 1963 March on Washington. He took part in the march from Selma to Montgomery in March of 1965, where he heard Martin Luther King Jr. and other speakers.

James worked for American Friends Service Committee for five years in Pittsburgh. From 1965 to 1969, he worked in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where he led several demonstrations involving interracial issues. He was active in Friends Committee on National Legislation from 1973 to 1979. James earned a doctorate in higher education in 1978 while teaching at Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree-granting historically Black university. He moved to Michigan where he taught at Saginaw Valley State University until 1987. He taught at Western Carolina University in North Carolina from 1987 to 1990. From 1990 until 1992, James was the director of social services at the Downingtown Industrial and Agricultural School, a school for African American students in Downingtown, Pa. He taught at California University of Pennsylvania in 1993 until he retired in 2002. Over the years, James was involved with many outreach programs such as Pennsylvania Prison Society, Habitat for Humanity, and Interfaith Caregivers. 

James attended Friends meetings wherever he was living. In the fall of 2002, he became an active member of Monongalia Meeting in Morgantown, W.V.

James married Joyce Caswell in 1952. They had four children between 1955 and 1960. Their marriage ended in 1968. He married Joanne Seachrest in 1969 and was divorced in 1973. He married Barbara Hunter Walters in 1974.

In addition to his parents, James was predeceased by his wife, Barbara W. Syphers, who died in 2013; and a sister, Bertha Barrier.

James is survived by four children, Gail N. Syphers, Dale A. Syphers (Mary), Paul N. Syphers, and Neal A. Syphers; two stepchildren, Dennis L. Walters (Amy) and Marica W. Griffith (Gerald); one brother, Joe DeRochemont; one sister, Mary McDonald; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.