Elmer B. James

Elmer B. James, 79, passed away on Monday, November 28, 2011 at his daughter’s home in Mebane, North Carolina after a long struggle with multiple myeloma. Mr. James was born in Kingston, PA to Thelma and Elmer James. He graduated from Kingston High School in 1949 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education at Ithaca College in 1953. After two years with the 89th Field Artillery Band at Fort Sill, Oklahoma he returned to Ithaca and worked on a degree in musical performance. Family responsibilities cut his studies short and he began a teaching career as High School Band Director in Wildwood, NJ. He moved to Huntington, NY in 1957 where he was the instrumental music teacher and band director at R.K.Toaz Junior High School and eventually Huntington High School. During his tenure on Long Island he earned a Masters Degree in music education from Columbia University and was very active as a performer. He was a member of the Huntington Symphony, Huntington Community Band, Northport Community Band as well as conducting the Huntington Baroque Ensemble and acting as Music Director for the Huntington Theater Group. Mr. James also played with many dance bands and small jazz groups in the area.

In 1970 he left Huntington to accept a position as Director of Music for the public schools in Potsdam, NY where he remained until his retirement in 1987. During his years in Potsdam he performed with many groups in northern New York and southern Canada and in 1980 he formed his own six piece traditional jazz group, the “North Country Preservation Jazz Band”. The band was very popular in the area as well as on the jazz festival circuit where they traveled every summer. They also produced two record albums during this time. Elmer worked with the band for over twenty years, finally retiring to Florida in 2001. He and his wife, Marilyn had been spending winters in Florida since her retirement in 1990 and decided to build a home and move permanently to the sunshine state in 2000. Unfortunately Marilyn passed away in November of 2001 shortly after they moved into their new home.

During his time in Florida Mr. James became very active again as a performer with many groups in the Lake County and Orlando area. He was active with the Orlando Concert Band, the Orlando Sentinel Band, Villages Concert Band, Brass Band of Central Florida, M&M Swing Band, Lake Swing Band and many small combos and Dixieland bands. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2003 and moved back to Syracuse, NY for several years. In 2008 he moved to Mebane to live with his daughter and son in law, Tom and Debbie Linda, and became an outpatient at the Duke University Medical Center. He underwent chemotherapy treatments at Duke for the past 3 years. Elmer continued to play until the treatments made it impossible due to side effects. He played with the Durham Community Band and the “Ambassadors Swing Band” at the United Church of Christ in Chapel Hill. He was also involved with the New Horizons bands which are a part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Duke University. He continued as a coach of their Dixieland group after he could no longer be active as a player himself.

Mr. James was pre-deceased by his wife Marilyn in 2001 and by a brother, Dr. Russell James in 2008. He is survived by two daughters and a son, Debbie Linda, Mebane,NC ,Elaine Fay Burt, Tully, NY and Woody James, Syracuse, NY. Six grandchildren; Millie James, Tacoma, WA; Kyleen James, Burbank, CA; Kristin Linda, Syracuse, NY; David Linda, Boston, MA; Daniel Burt, Tully, NY; Tommy Burt, Tully, NY. Two son-in-laws, Tom Linda and Randy Burt

His body will be cremated and a memorial service will be held on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at 437 East 3rd St., Ocean Isle Beach, NC @ 3pm.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made the Duke Hematologic Malignancy Program @ http://hememalignancy.mc.duke.edu/