James MacDowell Markert ’56

Jim died March 9, 2017, surrounded by family after an 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 83 years old.

Jim came to Princeton from Rocky River High School in Ohio. During his years at Princeton, he joined Tiger Inn, earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, and made lifelong friends, including senior-year roommates Peter McDavitt and Neil Rudenstine. Jim served as a Princeton Annual Giving class agent for many years after graduation.

He earned an MBA at Harvard Business School. During his career, he worked as the treasurer for Fluor Corp., in Irvine, Calif., and then moved to Wellesley, Mass., where he served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Perini Engineering and Construction.

Later in life he became a member of the Baha’i faith. He was a generous philanthropist and enjoyed serving on the boards of several charitable organizations.

Jim was predeceased by his parents and his grandson, James MacDowell Markert III. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Barbara Yazdi Markert; his children, Dorie Cornwell, Jim Markert Jr., and Molly Nur ’88; their spouses; 10 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and his sister, Dorothy Markert Ozzello.