Ronald L James

February 19, 1886 - April 14, 1977

Former local high school teacher, Mr James, has died after a short illness. A native of Pennsylvania, Mr James was a longtime resident of this area.

He is survived by his widow, Vera Thomas James, also a former teacher of English in the South Pasadena Senior High School, and by two sons, Carlton of La Habra, and Dutton of Corona, by six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Trained as an engineer, Mr James spent two years building refineries for General Petroleum Corporation in the 1920s. While there, Mr James' first wife contracted tuberculosis, and the family returned to California where Mrs James later died.

Mr James began his teaching career in 1930, spending most of it in the industrial arts department of South Pasadena High School until he retired in 1950. The family had lived in La Habra Heights since 1951, building a home and establishing an avocado ranch. They had been residents of San Marino from 1943 until 1951.

South Pasadena Review, April 18, 1977