A. James Reichley

A. James Reichley , 89, formerly of St. Clair and Potomac, MD Sunday July 1, 2018 at Residence, Elkridge MD.

Born in St, Clair, March 3, 1929, He was a son of the late Grant and Mary (Thompson) Reichley.

After growing up in St. Clair and Pottsville, PA, Jim attended the University of Pennsylvania and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in Philosophy in 1950 and served in the United States Army (Counter Intelligence Corps) from 1951-1953. While pursuing a Master of Arts degree in American History at Harvard University, Jim was awarded the Bowdoin Prize for his essay entitled “God Bless?”

A journalist and political scientist, Jim’s career started as a reporter for his hometown paper, The Pottsville Republican. He also wrote articles for Harper’s, the New Republic and the Saturday Evening Post. Jim served as a legislative assistant to Senator Kenneth Keating (NY) and as legislative secretary to his longtime mentor, Governor William Scranton (PA). Jim was political editor at Fortune; domestic policy assistant to President Gerald Ford; a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; and a senior fellow at Georgetown Public Policy Institute. He was the author and editor of about a dozen scholarly works on American political parties and religion in politics, as well as three novels.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Mary (Donohue) Reichley on January 23, 2018.

Surviving are sons Douglas Reichley and his wife wife Lisette of Macungie; Richard Reichley of Washington DC and daughter Susan Watanabe and her husband Kaz of Elkridge,

MD.  3 grandchildren Jonathan, Jillian and Hannah.

Graveside Services with Military Honors will be held at 11:30 AM Friday July 6, 2018 from Odd Fellows Cemetery, St. Clair.  Friends may call from 10:30-11:00 AM Friday at Bruce T. Hart Funeral Home 110 N. Second St. Saint Clair, PA 17970.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Pottsville Free Library, 215 W. Market St. Pottsville, PA 17901.   Condolences can be made at www.brucethartfuneralhome.com A memorial service will be held at Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Road, Potomac, MD, on Saturday, July 7, 2018, at 11:30 a.m.