In his life, Jim gave us an example of how to live every moment full to the brim. He was brilliant, compassionate, curious and creative. He loved art, architecture and music of all kinds, and he was precise about all things within one-eighth of an inch. He was truly a renaissance man.
He found people fascinating and looked for the good in all he met. He had a full-hearted laugh, a genuine sparkle, and he gave the very best warm hugs. We treasure his sketches and watercolors from places that were special to him all over North Carolina. He had a real talent for seeing beauty in the world.
Born in Asheville, NC, Jim was the son of Campbell Posey and Barbara Reece Posey. He attended Lee Edwards High School, Duke University and earned a Bachelors in Architecture from NC State. He was forever a proud Blue Devil and Wolf Pack basketball fan. He also had a profound love and care for nature that began in his childhood home in the mountains of North Carolina and continued throughout his life. He was a devoted volunteer to the Lake Daniel Stream Clean, a passionate supporter of the Mountains to Sea Trail and a recycling enthusiast.
Jim had extraordinary creative talent. As an architect, he began his career at Cogswell/Hausler in Chapel Hill. He moved to Greensboro to become the onsite representative for the Greensboro-Guilford County Governmental Center build with Catalano & Associates. In 1982, he opened his own design/build firm. He was brilliant at making spaces both beautiful and functional, and he took immense pleasure in using his skill and talent to make peoples’ dreams a reality.
Many of our favorite memories with Jim are of moments together listening to him tell a good story by the fire, shark teeth hunting at Emerald Isle, relaxing on the porch together on a summer evening, exploring and tinkering with how things worked in the shop that he built, wondering at the beauty of the buildings and designs from modern architecture greats, seeing him wave to friends around town in his little red truck, and (of course) celebrating his annual 40th birthday together every February.
Jim lived his life surrounded by a large and loving family. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Marjorie (Mimi) McGinn, his daughter Heather Lynn Mitchum Posey, his son James (Jay) Campbell Posey Jr. and wife Regine Rieg Posey, and his grandchildren Mariah Lynn Posey, Jordan Campbell Posey and Julia Nicole Posey.
He was also beloved by his sisters: Martha Jane Posey and her husband Lloyd Benjamin, and Susan Posey and her husband William (Bill) Jacobs; as well as his niece Laurie Jacobs, his nephew Hoyt Jacobs who predeceased him; his nephew Jonathan Benjamin, his nephew Gabriel Benjamin, Gabriel’s partner Caitlin Fanning and their son Jonah.
Jim was cherished by a large extended family, including: Dolly McGinn, Lisa and Bill Glass, Sarah Glass, Marlee and Matthew Foster, Sadie and Charlotte Foster, Sam and Jessica Glass, Tom McGinn and Stephanie Jordan, Tavis McGinn, Dara Page, Rimes and Jon Kirk, Grayson and Henry Kirk, Maura Collins and his soul brother and sister Allen Miller and Debbe Wolff.
In honor of Jim’s love of the greater outdoors, memorials may be made to Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail. Jim was a passionate supporter of this organization which is dedicated to preserving some of North Carolina’s most beautiful places. We also hope you will don your boots and bring your families to join us for the next Lake Daniel Park Stream Clean in Jim’s memory. Stream Clean days were always some of Jim’s favorite days of the year.
Online condolences may be made through www.haneslineberryfhnelm.com.
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