James Byrnes Senn - Greenville

James Byrnes Senn, of 222 Randall Street, died February 19, 2015.

He was the son of the late J. Claude Senn and Eula S. Berry.

He was born in Newberry, SC and attended Newberry City Schools.

He received his BA and MA degrees from Furman University where he attended with a James F. Byrnes Scholarship. Being an instrumental music major, he was active in the Furman Band and served as president and student conductor his senior year. He began his career as a band director at Travelers Rest and Slater Marietta High Schools.

He served in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard" in Arlington, VA. He returned to Greenville and became director of the "Parker High School Award Winning Band."

After leaving Parker, he became the Instrumental Music Consultant for Greenville County Schools. He served as a band judge and clinician throughout the Southeast. After further graduate studies at Columbia University, he became an instrumental music teacher and served as principal at the Greenville County Fine Arts Center. While in this position, he also served as Conductor of the Greenville County Youth Orchestra.

After his initial retirement, he became the Fine Arts Coordinator for District 5 Schools of Spartanburg County. For many years he performed as a trombonist in the Greenville Symphony. He was an active member of the South Carolina Band Directors Association for which he served as president and was a charter member of the organization's Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the S.C. Music Educators Association and was inducted into that organization's "Hall of Fame" as well. He was named to the Phi Beta Mu Band Directors Fraternity Hall of Fame and was named outstanding band director in the S.C. chapter of The American School Band Director's Association.

He served as music director for the Carolina Ambassadors of Music, an organization of band and choral students who performed in concert tours throughout Europe.

He was an active member of St. Paul United Methodist Church and was a member of the Adult Choir.

He is survived by a sister, Lilian Stauffer of Hellertown, PA, and a number of nieces and nephews and many dear friends.

He was predeceased by brothers, Claude Jr. and John Senn and sisters, Grace Oswald, Margaret Wood and Frances Slice.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 3, 2015 from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m. at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown. The funeral service will follow at 1:30 p.m. in the Downtown Chapel. Entombment will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Memorials may be made to the Greenville Fine Arts Center, 102 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville, SC 29609 or Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613.