PRESQUE ISLE – George Arthur James was born Feb. 4, 1936, in Scranton, Pa., to Jack Henshall James and Elsa Nitzsche James. He died Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005, the result of a fatal car accident. He was a graduate of Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, a graduate of Wesl-eyan University in Middleton, Conn. He received a masters degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD from the University of Georgia. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a company commander and received an honorable discharge at the rank of captain. As a young man, he was fortunate to spend 12 weeks each summer on the Allagash River. Those experiences helped to instill his great love for Aroostook County and its people. Prior to moving to Presque Isle in 1985, he had served as the assistant city manager of Ocala, Fla., and the town manager in Canton, N.C. He was on the staff of the Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. He had served as the associate director of the Department of Local Affairs and Development for the State of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. He had also been the director of the Public Administration program at Murray State University in Murray, Ky. He served in various capacities at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and it was due to his convictions and commitments that the present University Campus Center was funded and erected. In Presque Isle he had served on the Board of the Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce, The Aroostook Medical Center Board and the Aroostook St. John RC&D Board and the Mapleton Planning Board. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. He was a member of the Presque Isle Congregational Church. He was currently on the Board of Directors of Maine Mutual Group and a member of the Fort Fairfield Rotary Club. He was a visionary who was always interested in improving the community for its residents even when it meant personal and financial sacrifice. He was instrumental in introducing an alternate agriculture crop to Aroostook County and creating jobs to enhance the economy. With his family he created Lucerne Farms, a producer of bagged forage feeds and garden mulch which has gained an international recognition and is sold across the United States. He worked each day beside his son and best friend at Lucerne Farms. He was on a mission to further sell Aroostook County and its products when he was fatally injured. He particularly appreciated the qualities and relationship he had with his employees and all of the contacts he had made through his business both local and around the world. He was happiest when spending time with his family or undertaking new projects. He always had an ear for everyone and was a total optimist. He always saw the good in all and his family never knew him to say a discouraging word against anyone. His only diversions from work were the times he could spend fishing or at the family home in Stonington. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susie James; three children, Mary Elsa Theobald and her husband, Skip Theobald, of Sandy Point, Jill Brekke and her husband, Gregg Brekke, of Springboro, Ohio, and Richard James of Presque Isle. He is survived by one grandson, Jack Andrus James of Toronto, Ontario. He is also survived by his brother, Hugh N. James, with whom he had a special relationship and his partner, John S. Camp of Atlanta, Ga.; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Don and Mary Jo Milner; and two nephews, Steve and David Milner, of Waynesville, N.C.; and his cousin, business partner and special friend, H. Allen White of Skillman, N.J. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24, 2005, at the Presque Isle Congregational Church with a reception to follow in the Church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to a scholarship fund in his honor for Fort Fairfield students. Donations should be directed to The George A. James Memorial Scholarship Fund, Lucerne Farms, P.O. Box 510, Fort Fairfield, ME 04742.
GEORGE A. JAMES
