James Robert Tiffany, Jr. , 64, a professor of Health and Physical Education at the Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun Campus, collapsed and died May 27 of a sudden heart attack while setting up for his class at the Loudoun Campus. He lived on his family farm outside of Leesburg.

Jim Tiffany spent his entire career in education. He began his teaching career in 1969 in Fairfax County, student teaching at the elementary level, teaching Physical Education at Poe Intermediate School in Annandale, before opening the program of Health and Physical Education at the Loudoun Campus of NVCC in 1974. While he was in Fairfax, he also coached the soccer program at Annandale High School.

When Jim received his Doctorate of Education from NOVA University in Florida he said that he would not write a thesis that would sit and gather dust on someone's shelf. Instead, he designed an outdoor fitness system which he then turned into a national company and product, Exer-Trail, Inc. He also co-authored a book, The Exer-Trail Way to Total Fitness. Due to an increase in enrollment and added responsibilities at the college, Jim closed the corporation in 2000.

Since the Loudoun Campus has no gymnasium, Jim implemented and supervised the development of adjunct life time activity courses such as yoga, bowling, golf, tennis, skiing, swimming, volleyball, aerobic fitness and weight training at numerous facilities around the area. Every year he had numerous success stories about his students and how his classes and program helped them make positive life changing decisions.

As Jim's children were growing up, Jim was involved as their recreational league coach in both basketball and soccer. His greatest success story was in 1990 when his son's soccer team was undefeated and never scored against the whole season. Jim was also a lifetime long distance runner and triathlete. He finished both the Boston Marathon (1967) and the Marine Corps Marathon (1980). Until the time of his death, Jim was a USTA captain, and qualified numerous times for the Mid-Atlantic Tennis Sectionals for Seniors. He was also a lifetime recreational skier and golfer. Jim also won numerous honors and awards in his various fields of sports; his greatest achievement was when he won the East Coast Triathlon and thus qualifying for the National Triathlon Championship in Hilton Head, S.C.

Jim served on the Young Life Board of Directors in Loudoun County in the 1990's. He helped found and direct the Loudoun Memorial 10 mile race in Leesburg; he was president of the Lincoln community League for three years in the 1980's; and was acting as vice president at the time of his death. He was an active member and a Lay Eucharistic Minister of the St. James's Episcopal Church in Leesburg for the past 32 years, and served on the vestry.

Jim was born December 17, 1944, in Winchester, VA. to James R. and Lois Pangle Tiffany. He lived most of his early life in Falls Church, VA and attended Jeb Stuart High School. He attended Montreat Anderson Junior College in Montreat, N.C. He then graduated from Lynchburg College with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion in 1966, and a Bachelor of Science in 1967. He received his Master of Science in Physical Education from Wake Forest University in 1972.

Jim designed the log and stone house where he and his family have lived, on the family farm near Lincoln VA., for the past 32 years. He is survived by his beloved wife of 35 years, Anne Tweedy Tiffany; his two children Heather Tiffany Lawrence and James Bronson Tiffany, both of Roanoke, VA.; a sister, BJ Samuel of Virginia Beach, two nephews, and his father, James R. Tiffany, Sr. of Waterford, VA.

A visitation will be held on Monday, June 1, 2009 between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. in the Janney Parlor of the St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall Street, NW, Leesburg, Virginia 20176. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at St. James Episcopal Church starting at 2:30 p.m. with the Reverends John Ohmer and Kate Bryant officiating.

Memorial donations can be made in his honor to the following: NVCCEF, Jim Tiffany Scholarship Fund, 7630 Little River Turnpike, Suite 817, Annandale, Virginia 22003; Loudoun Preservation Society, P.O. Box 368, Round Hill, Virginia 20142; or St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, Virginia 20176.