James H. Bish ’53

Jim, who was greatly admired by roommate Ansel Chaplin for volunteering for the Army during the Korean conflict, left Princeton after sophomore year to enlist. Upon his discharge, he returned to graduate cum laude with ’56. He came back to Princeton as a permanent resident following retirement in 1988 and died there Oct. 1, 2012, after experiencing lengthy, multiple illnesses precipitated by a stroke.

While awaiting release from the service at Fort Dix in 1956, Ansel visited Jim, who was living in veterans’ housing on campus. Ansel remembers the living quarters were not built of the sturdiest materials. They were quite a change from the construction of Jim’s club, Tiger Inn.

Jim received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1958 and was employed by Texaco and Marathon Oil. He joined Chase Manhattan Bank in 1966 and worked in international banking. His last responsibility was as CFO for global affairs at Chase Investment Bank.

Surviving are his loving wife of 46 years, the former Elisabeth Kellerhals, who carefully tended to him during his sicknesses of 22 years; daughter Sondra Grant; son Michael; Jim’s sister-in-law, Verena Siegrist, and her two daughters, son-in-law, and three grandchildren. We mourn the loss of a true patriot and friend.