James "Kit" Romano

April 12, 1947 - July 2, 2017

Professor James A. “Kit” Romano died peacefully on July 2, 2017 at Winchester Medical Center. He was preceded in death by his parents, Patrick and Bettie Romano, and brothers Gary and Phillip Romano. Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, on April 12, 1947, Professor Romano received a B.S. in Business and Finance from West Virginia University, an M.S. in Computer Science from West Virginia University, and with additional graduate coursework in education and sociology. He often acted as a consultant throughout the area, designing computer systems for many organizations. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Deborah Romano and their children, Brandon, Maria and Cody Romano. Throughout his  45 years as a faculty member at Shepherd, Professor Romano educated thousands of students, in his own words, “specifically in the skill of programming computers.” His faculty webpage reveals the importance he placed on engaging students in the classroom, and that experience is the best teacher. He believed that true learning “involves caring and open communication.” He was often to be found sitting on the benches in front of Snyder Hall talking with students before and after class. A service to celebrate his life and legacy will take place at Shepherd University later this fall. Memorial donations can be made to: Shepherd University Foundation at PO Box 5000 Shepherdstown, WV 25443 to be distributed in his honor at a later date.