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Obituary – James Eber “Jim” Lash

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Staff

James Eber “Jim” Lash died peacefully at Carolina Meadows on August 31st. He was 92.
Jim was born on November 22, 1914, in Rialto, California. After graduating from UCLA, he pursued an early interest in better housing for underprivileged populations by becoming a city planner. He served as the first Director of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and then moved east to lead the non-profit ACTION (American Council to Improve Our Neighborhoods) in New York City. In his later career, he became an environmental planner.

An early advocate of clustered housing and community open space, Jim was especially pleased to oversee the development of a planned unit community in Middletown, Connecticut called Wesleyan Hills.

Jim spent forty years of his life in California, forty in Connecticut and over twelve in Chapel Hill. He served each community as an active volunteer and made many wonderful friends to whom he remained loyal. He enjoyed the outdoors, was a keen Mac user, an avid photographer and a lifelong democrat who embraced many liberal causes. He also made great corn cakes for Sunday breakfasts.

Jim was lucky to marry two wonderful women during the course of his lifetime. His first wife Jean was a loving companion for 45 years before passing away in 1988. His second wife Alice (Lawless) has been his dear partner for over ten years.

Jim also loved, enjoyed and took great pride in his children and their families: Chris and Mary Lash of Whispering Pines, NC; Gary, Yvonne, Amy and Christopher Lash of Newport, RI; and Joan Lash and Ray and Lee Williams of Chapel Hill, NC.

A service recognizing Jim’s very full life will be held in the Carolina Meadows auditorium on Saturday, September 8th at 2:00 p.m.

Arrangements are by Walker’s Funeral Home of Chapel Hill, 120 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

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