Obituary of Samuel C. Alessi

Samuel C. Alessi, Jr., of 16 Rowley Court, died Sunday July 5, 2020, in UPMC Chautauqua. A lifelong Jamestown resident, he was born May 19, 1932, a son of the late Samuel and Ethel Olson Alessi, Sr. He was a 1950 graduate of Jamestown High School, received a Bachelor's Degree in 1954 from Cornell University when he was a classmate of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a Juris Doctorate from Albany School of Law. He was a veteran of the Korean War serving in the US Army in Germany from 1954-56. He practiced law from 1959-74 with the firm of Alessi and Alessi along with his father and brother. He later served as Jamestown City Court judge from 1974-93, becoming the first full time judge in the city's history. He was fortunate to have two mayors of Jamestown appoint him to positions. Mayor Fred Dunn appointed him to the municipal Airport Commission and reasoned that if Sam was to serve on that board he should learn how to fly, which he did, obtaining a commercial license and an instrument rating. Sam always carried his pilot license in his wallet for nostalgia, but would never pass the physical exam in later years. Mayor Stan Lundine appointed Sam to the Jamestown Community College board of trustees and from there he rose to the chairmanship and ultimately the presidency of the association of boards of community college of New York State. He was a scuba instructor at the Jamestown YMCA and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. He served on the Chautauqua County Legislature in the early 70s and was instrumental in starting the JHS Class of 1950 Scholarship at Chautauqua Region Community Foundation which is one of the largest funds at the foundation. Surviving are his wife Gretchen Alessi, whom he married September 25, 1992 and two children Susan Alessi of Ft. Myers, FL and Mark (Alice) Alessi of Conewango Valley, NY. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife Rowena Wright Alessi , September 13, 1991 and a brother Robert Alessi. Due to the restriction of the pandemic a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to Jamestown Community College Foundation. You may leave words of condolence at www.lindfuneralhome.com.