Jim, who graduated from Plainfield High School, was named New Jersey all-state in basketball, and played for Coach Cappy Cappon's 1951-1952 Eastern Intercollegiate League champions, died Dec. 9, 2006, in Newtown Square, Pa.
Fellow hoops member Bob Hauptfuhrer joked that he and Jim shared lots of basketball bench time because Cappon usually used only five men.
At Princeton, Jim belonged to Tiger Inn, the Republican Club, and Orange Key. After graduating with honors in economics, he was in the Army's Central Intelligence Corps and received the Korean Service Medal. He spent his business career as a financial-services specialist in the Philadelphia area with Smith Barney, Tucker Anthony, and Superior Investments Group, from which he retired as a top executive. He contributed to many charitable and community organizations and was a leader in his church.
High school and college comrade Peter Enander remembers Jim as "the rare good listener, interesting to be with, and genuinely caring about others, with a fine sense of humor and able to laugh at himself."
Besides Louisa, his wife of 26 years, he is survived by son James M. Jr., daughter Rebecca Ayars '83, brother Richard C., stepsons David S. Robb and Stephen C. Robb, and eight grandchildren. Jim had a giving heart filled with wit and an understanding mind.