James Reed DeLaney

Category : General

James Reed DeLaney, 80, of Easton, MD, passed away surrounded by loved ones on December 9th, 2020 after a difficult battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

James was born on March 11, 1940 to Sidney and Anna DeLaney in Rutherford, NJ. He attended Rutherford High School where he met, Joyce, his lifelong partner of 58 years. Together they lived a wonderful life and raised a family of four in Hawthorne, NJ before retiring to the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 2005.

After graduating in 1958, James went on to study biology at Bucknell University. In 1962, he started his career in education as a biology teacher at Teaneck High School. His passion for teaching and natural leadership propelled him into the role of principal in 1977. He would spend the rest of his career in education and took incredible pride in his time spent at Teaneck.

James lived a life that truly made a difference. He was a celebrated leader, influencing and educating decades of students. James lived with a desire to create an environment where students and staff could thrive. He developed a culture at Teaneck that celebrated diversity, inclusion, excellence, and enthusiasm for helping others. He led and inspired a team of accomplished educators to create a truly high performing institution. His work and influence on the students and staff he served was a defining aspect to his character and life accomplishments. In addition to his career, James sought to make a difference in his community as well. He was active in his local church and committed to volunteer work. James cherished his time at Estling Lake in Denville, NJ where his family spent their summers, and he happily gave his time to contribute and support the community.

While he demonstrated so much pride in his work and community, nothing mattered more to James than the love, time, and memories shared with family. He was a caring and devoted spouse, father, grandfather, and brother. He is survived by his wife, Joyce. His children, Nancy, Jimmy, Becky, and Todd. James enjoyed the love and affection of 9 grandchildren and one baby girl on the way. He is also survived by his dear brother Dick, his wife Toby, and their wonderful family.

The family will be celebrating the life of James in a small private ceremony. To honor his memory, the family has established a scholarship fund that will provide financial support to a high school senior from Teaneck High School to pursue higher education. Please make donations out to:

Community Scholarship Fund of Teaneck
680 Albin Street
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Re: James R. DeLaney Scholarship Fund