James Radcliffe Brokenshire

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by West Point 1955 on February 5, 2016:

James R. Brokenshire Jr. James R. Brokenshire Jr. had a different way of looking at things. Where most people saw problems, the Lower Swatara Twp. man saw solutions. When most people said "it can't be done," he said "this is how we'll do it." Brokenshire, a retired Army colonel who died Aug. 16, was a man who got the job done, his friends said. Maybe it was his 24 years of active Army duty in the United States and abroad or maybe it was his decades in municipal management in Dauphin County communities, but Brokenshire never walked away from a problem. Brokenshire, a 1955 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, spent nearly a quarter century serving his country in Kentucky, Kansas, Hawaii, Korea, Vietnam and Chile. He retired from the military, then launched a second career in which he worked as a municipal manager in Highspire, then Lower Swatara and Swatara townships. He also spent three years working for the state Department of Community Affairs with financially distressed municipalities. Former Swatara Twp. Commissioner and Board President Gregory Ricci said Brokenshire brought strong fiscal skills to the township. "When Jim came to us, we had a tremendous financial crisis," Ricci said. "We had $300,000 worth of bills and $80,000 in cash. But when we showed him our financial situation, he said 'that's not a crisis, it's a problem to be solved.' You can't imagine the calm he brought to the board and to the staff." Ricci said Brokenshire did such a good job of managing the township income and expenses "that we tightened our belts and didn't have to increase taxes for 19 years. He put us on the right track. He was truly a godsend, a father figure in the office. He brought calm and improved morale." Brokenshire's strengths were his listening skills, his sense of direction and his way of never overreacting to a situation, Ricci said. "Jim took time to digest things," Ricci said. "He taught me and the board to step back, investigate a situation and take one day at a time. That rubbed off on the staff, too. He was a great team player. By the time he left, we were on our way to creating responsible reserves." Swatara Twp. Police Chief David Bogdanovic agreed, saying Brokenshire "offered stability to the township. He was even-handed and very fair." Swatara Twp. Commissioner Dick Bouder characterized Brokenshire as "a great administrator, organized, low-keyed and effective. We worked well together on finalizing a project to bring water to the area off South Harrisburg Street." Michael J. Smith of Middletown said that Brokenshire was "first and foremost a gentleman." Smith was a Swatara Twp. police officer when Brokenshire was township manager. "Jim possessed a great amount of patience," Smith said. "His life experiences allowed him the latitude to understand many different kinds of people. He always treated everyone with respect and dignity. He had a great sense of humor and an infectious smile. He was a true credit to his country, his community and his family. He was a genuine man and a class act. He will be missed." Although Brokenshire had been out of the military for years, he never forget it. He spent years working as an advocate for veterans and was a past president of both the Military Officers Association of America Keystone Capital Chapter and the Pennsylvania Council of Chapters Military Officers Association. He also served on the Pennsylvania War Veterans Council. "Jim was totally dedicated to ensuring that veterans get the recognition and support they deserved," said Col. Robert F. Broyles of Carlisle, who knew him through the Military Officers Association. "He had a great talent for motivation, for getting people enthusiastic and involved. He worked with our state council and with the Legislature." Broyles said the state council in September plans to approve the Col. James Brokenshire Memorial Award for young scholars. "Jim served us all with honor," he said. "He was a good friend, a fine gentleman, and a superb soldier. His death is a loss to all veterans." By MARY KLAUS, The Patriot-News September 17, 2010

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