The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District is mourning the loss of a member of the district administration: School Business Administrator Timothy Decker died on June 3 after a brief illness.
Decker, 54, worked for the district since 2009 and oversaw all aspects of the district’s finances, including developing its annual operating budget, which voters overwhelmingly approved each year of his tenure. He also provided leadership to all non-instructional district operations, including food service, transportation, custodians, maintenance and mechanics.
During his time with the district, Decker oversaw numerous large-scale capital projects, including new roofs for all buildings and significant renovations to the J-D High School auditorium. He was particularly proud of the current capital projects underway at J-D High School and J-D Middle School and how he saw the projects enhancing the teaching and learning experiences of J-D’s students and staff.
Calling hours will be 4-7 p.m. June 9 at the Thomas J. Pirro Jr. Funeral Home, 3401 Vickery Rd. in North Syracuse. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. June 10 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Francis House, 108 Michaels Ave, Syracuse, NY 13208. More information may be found in Decker’s obituary.
Below is a letter J-D Superintendent Peter Smith sent to district staff June 3.
Dear Jamesville-DeWitt Faculty and Staff,
It is with profound sadness and the heaviest of heart that I write to let you know that my friend and our colleague Business Administrator Tim Decker passed away today after a brief illness. As many of you know, Tim was recently diagnosed with a very rare and fatal syndrome called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome.
Those of us who knew him well will remember his love of sports, especially professional baseball and hockey, his sense of humor, and his incredible knowledge and skill for managing all financial aspects of our district. Tim was demonstrably proud of our work at Jamesville-DeWitt and the impact he was able to have on the student experience. Most importantly, however, he was incredibly proud of his wife and three successful children.
Please keep Tim’s wife Patty, their three children, and the rest of the Decker family in your thoughts.
Very truly yours,
Peter