James Philip Williams

Nov. 6, 1927 – Aug. 1, 2017

James “Jim” Philip Williams was surrounded by family when he peacefully passed on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Jim was born on Nov. 6, 1927, in Royal Oak, Michigan, to Edwin and Ruth Williams. He was the fourth son in his family and survived his three brothers, Edwin, Conway and John, who predeceased him.

Jim graduated from Royal Oak High School and joined the U.S. Army during World War II. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and was an active member of Theta Chi Omega fraternity.

He met the love of his life, Barbara Jeanne Pulling, at a fraternity party and married her on Dec. 15, 1950. Jim and Jeanne lived in Jackson, Michigan, until 1959 when they relocated to Van Wert, Ohio.

They raised three daughters in Van Wert. Jim served on the Van Wert City Council and spearheaded the construction of a new city hall. Jeanne and Jim also co-founded St. Luke’s Episcopal church in Van Wert.

Jim spent most of his career with Aeroquip Corporation. In 1976, Jim and Jeanne relocated to Los Angeles where Jim served as general manager of Aeroquip’s Aerospace Division Marman Plant in West Los Angeles from 1976-1982.

In 1985, Jeanne and Jim acquired Caldelle, Ltd., a leather importing company that thrived under their leadership. They spent most of their retirement years in their second home in Indian Wells, California, beginning in 1989, where they were members of Desert Horizons Country Club until 2014 when they returned to their primary home in Pacific Palisades.

Jeanne and Jim were avid bridge players and achieved the highest rank of grand life master. They played duplicate contract bridge at the Beach Club in Santa Monica and at the Barrington and Beverly Hills Bridge Clubs. Jeanne and Jim enjoyed traveling around the world where they always found a bridge game; either on a cruise ship or on land in various parts of the Americas, Asia or Europe.

Jim was an accomplished painter, played tennis until the age of 87 and puttered around the golf course with Jeanne’s encouragement. Jeanne and Jim were members of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades.

Jim was predeceased by Jeanne in 2016 and is survived by three daughters: Leslie Williams Kahn, Catherine Williams (Bando) Barna and Mary Elizabeth (Wortman) Williams; five grandsons and four great grandchildren.

Jim will be greatly missed by his family and his many loyal friends with whom he maintained lifelong relationships. A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, located at 1031 Bienveneda Ave. in Pacific Palisades.