James F. Byrnes

   PENNINGTON — James F. Byrnes, 73, died Friday, at home surrounded by his family.
   Born in Sangerfield, N.Y., he had lived in Pennington for 40 years. A graduate of Rutgers University, Mr. Byrnes taught social studies for one year at Woodbridge, for 27 years at Hopewell Valley CHS, and six years at Timberlane Junior School in Pennington.
   He coached basketball at many different levels, taking varsity teams to the State Tournament on two occasions, 1968 and 1990. He also coached baseball. He was advisor to AFS at HVCHS for 25 years and coached the New York Times Knowledge Bowl at Timberlane Junior High School for three years, winning first place in the state two years in a row.
   Mr. Byrnes served as councilman for Pennington Borough from 1996 to 1999. During that time he was instrumental in planning for the new Public Works facility. He was also president of the Hopewell Valley Athletic Hall of Fame from 2000 to 2002. He served with the U.S. Army in Korea and was honorably discharged with a rank of Staff Sergeant.
   Son of the late Michael and Pauline Albicker Byrnes, he is also predeceased by four brothers, Ed, Fred, Robert and Larry and two sisters, Mary Byrnes Turner and Polly Byrnes Kuhn.
   He is survived by his wife, Jetta; a son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Katja Byrnes of Jetzendorf, Germany; two daughters and sons-in-law, Annalisa and Mearl Challender of Robbinsville, Colleen and John Burke of Bordentown; two step-daughters, Stacey Antler and Kris Gilton of Lawrenceville and Melissa Antler and Jon Bayley of West Trenton; two brothers and their wives, Norman and Elizabeth Byrnes of Boston, Mass., William and Jane Byrnes of Poland, N.Y.; three sisters and their spouses, Dorothy and Dick Miller of Margaretville, N.Y., Frances Morcelle of Buffalo, N.Y. and Betty and Joe Eppich of Sun City, Fla.; and 11 grandchildren, Sara and Justin Byrnes of Jetzendorf, Germany, Jimmy, Julie and Christopher Challenger of Robbinsville, Michael, Jamie and Clare Burke of Bordentown, Elizabeth and Thomas Bayley of West Trenton and Stephen Gilton of Lawrenceville. He is also survived by one very special son, Jeff Witt Kop and his family.
   Private services were conducted by Deacon Michael Riley at the Blackwell Memorial Home, Pennington.
   A Celebration of Life was held Tuesday at the Pennington Fire House. Memorial contributions may be made to the James F. Byrnes Scholarship Fund, c/o Colleen Burke, 501 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown, NJ 08505 or the Michael and Pauline Byrnes Scholarship Fund, c/o Waterville Central High School, Waterville, NY 13480.