James Denny Kourkoumelis

August 10, 1922—October 25, 2008

Born in a houseboat on the banks of the Duwamish River in West Seattle, James Denny Kourkoumelis was the son of an immigrant fisherman Dionisios Kourkoumelis and a village schoolteacher/midwife Kyriakoula Balentis both of Kephalonian heritage. As early members and founders of Seattle's turn-of-the-century Greek community, James' family took great pride in studying English and becoming American citizens within a short time of their arrival in this country. James was one of five siblings—Jerry deceased, Dionisia, Plato, and Helen, who died at age three. As a West Seattle High School student, James earned honors as the state sprinting champion. During World War II he served in the Merchant Marines as a Chief Radio Operator, traveling often to the Far East where he had many notable adventures. Thereafter he received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington, followed by winning a John Hay Fellowship at Columbia University in New York City. A favorite pastime during his sea travels and year in New York was to enlist as an onstage extra during opera performances wherever he found himself, which included the Metropolitan Opera. During the 1940s James brought Seattle officials together to organize the city's first interracial dance. James chaired the Social Studies Department at Ballard High School for close to forty years, where his passion for the study of history and contemporary events—particularly the study of the French Revolution, the military-industrial complex, the Wobblies and early labor movement in the United States, and the study of civil rights—became legendary among the thousands of students he taught. His idealistic spirit impelled him to assume the leadership of the Seattle teacher's union during an especially turbulent era. James Kourkoumelis loved the writings of Bertrand Russell and the true story of Zorba by Kazantzakis, ships, kadota figs, crab dinners, classic films, Puccini and Verdi opera, the music of Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Maria Callas, and he was a lifelong book collector. He died after many years of ill health. He was married for 35 years to the late noted artist Evelyn Ganatos, also of Kephalonian descent and from whom he was eventually divorced. James was the father of Carrie, Nicholas, and Dean Kourkoumelis and the grandfather of Justin and Alex Kourkoumelis, Arthur Diogenes, John Elias, Nickolas Edward and Efthalia Fay Kaynor. In addition to his children and grandchildren, James is survived by his sister Dionisia and her husband Aristides, his brother Plato, nieces Denise, Karrie, Amie, Aspasia, and nephews Dan, Dennis, and Thomas, along with many beloved colleagues, former students, and dear friends.