Thomas Robinson James' Obituary
Thomas Robinson James, 87, was born in Memphis on April 16,1929 to Dr. David H. and May Rudd James. He passed away peacefully on January 1, 2017. Tom was a man of great kindness and compassion and a true Southern Gentleman. He spent his life serving his faith, his family and his community. He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Frances Dillard James. Graduating in 1946 from Christian Brothers High School, Tom was a proud “Brothers Boy” and was inducted into the CBHS Hall of Fame in 1997. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BA degree in chemistry in 1950 and received his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School in 1952. After returning from Vanderbilt, he joined his brother in law, W.K. “Tag” Weldon and a classmate to form the law firm of Adams, James and Weldon where he practiced until 1972. During those years, he was very active politically and served as Chairman of the Shelby County Election Commission. A partner in Walt, Dyer and James for twenty years he also created the firm of James, Ray and McEvoy. Tom worked tirelessly for the disabled community even prior to the birth of his own special needs daughter. He used his knowledge of the law and politics to author and gain passage of a law that mandated an education for every child in the state of Tennessee. The bill was introduced by Weldon in the state House, and Hugh Stanton and Curtis Person in the state Senate. The Weldon Bill passed both House and Senate without a dissenting vote and became the model for other states and federal legislation. A lifelong Memphian, Tom and Frances were founding members of St. Louis Catholic Church and School in 1957,where he coached youth baseball in addition to serving as a Eucharistic minister and a Lector. He was a devoted Vanderbilt and St. Louis Cardinal fan. An enthusiastic athlete, he and Frances played tennis for many years at the Memphis Athletic Club (now the Racquet Club) where he served as President in 1969. Tom and Frances traveled Europe extensively including several trips to Bosnia. In 1993, he joined a group that collected truckloads of medical and food supplies for the civilian population there that suffered starvation during the Bosnian War. He accompanied the supplies to a port in Europe and then drove one of the trucks into the war zone. His professional and civic organizations included the Memphis Rotary Club, American Bar Association, American College of Mortgage Attorneys (President), Tennessee Bar Association, Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association, Governor’s Advisory on Education for the Handicapped (Chairman), Tennessee Society for Autistic Children, Memphis Society for Autistic Children, Advisory Board for Very Special Arts Festival, Memphis Vanderbilt Alumni Association (President 1970), Governor’s Advisory Council on Mental Retardation, Governor’s Advisory Council on Developmental Disabilities. He served on the Board of Directors of many organizations including Sheltered Occupational Shop, Inc., Community Day Care and Comprehensive Social Services Association, Marc House, Inc., Forget Me Not, Inc., Walden House, Inc. and MidSouth Medical Center Council, Inc. He is also survived his five children David James, Frances James Metheny and Carol James of Memphis, Dr. Tom James of Billings, Montana and Cathy James of Riverview, Florida and a brother, Dr. David H. James Jr. of West Memphis, Arkansas, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister, Ann James Weldon. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 6 from 5 until 7 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Avenue. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 7 at 1 p.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church with burial to follow at Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to SRVS, 3791 Knight Arnold Rd. Memphis, TN 38118 or www.SRVS.org or Christian Brothers High School, 5900 Walnut Grove, Rd., Memphis, TN 38120.Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis TN 38119. (901) 767-8930. “Celebrating Life….Behind the Stone Wall.”
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