James Graham Paterson, Sr.

James Graham Paterson, Sr., 89, of Wilmington, died Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at C.N. Davis Health Care Center. The eldest child, and only son, of Marjorie Sclater Paterson and David Archibald Paterson, he was born in South Orange, NJ on February 1, 1919. He attended Carteret Academy, The Gunnery School in Washington, CT, and Princeton University. An enthusiastic alumnus of both The Gunnery and Princeton, he served as President of The Gunnery Alumni Assoc. and on their Board of Trustees, and on the Executive Committee of Princeton's Alumni Council, and as a regional Chairman for Princeton's Class of 1941. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery from Princeton's ROTC program in June of 1941, he was immediately activated and served until the fall of 1945 when he joined the active reserve with the rank of Major. During his active duty service he was dispatched overseas in July of 1942 with a detachment of 10 officers, 200 NCO's, 300 Sherman tanks, and 100 self-propelled 105MM howitzers promised by President Roosevelt to Prime Minister Churchill to re-enforce the British 8th Army. After the victory in Egypt, Libya and North Africa, he served briefly with the Free French Training Section of the U.S. 5th Army before joining the 34th Infantry Division for the invasion of Italy. For 18 months he participated in the battle for Cassino and breakout from Anzio. After the war he joined the import/export firm of H.A. Astlett & Co., New York, NY, of which his father was then Senior Partner. The firm incorporated in 1950 and he became successively Vice-President, President, and in 1966, Chairman and C.E.O. One of the firm's major imports was natural rubber and he served on the Board of the Rubber Trade Association of NY and as Chairman. The United States belonged to the International Rubber Study Group rubber being considered a vital commodity and he served on numerous occasions as an advisor to the U.S. Delegate to these meetings. He retired in 1982, four years after the company was sold to Internatio Muller, a large international trading company based in Rotterdam, Holland. Leaving Montclair, NJ for Hampstead, NC, he took the course leading to qualification as an E.M.T. and in 1983 joined the then Hampstead Rescue Squad now called Pender East Rescue Squad. He helped the squad progress from all volunteers to become a professional paramedic unit with up-to-date equipment. A resident of Olde Point, he served as the first President of the first home-owners association: Olde Point Villa Assoc., and became actively involved in the Pender County political scene, serving as the County Republican Chairman and as a member of the 3rd District Congressional Committee. An Elder in Central Presbyterian Church in Montclair, NJ, he joined First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. He was a member of the Lions Club of Hampstead, the Quest Club, and the City Club at de Rosset. He leaves his beloved wife of 62 years, Zafero Pappas Paterson; daughter, Page Paterson and husband, Charles Robbins, of Wilmington, NC; two sons, James Graham Paterson, Jr. and wife, Mary, of Wilmington, NC, and David Gregory Paterson and wife, Susan, of Cranbury, NJ; four granddaughters; four grandsons; one great-granddaughter; and a sister, Hilary P. Cleveland of New London, NH. Two sisters, Joan P. Kerr of Hartford, CT, and Marjorie S. Gimber of Montclair, NJ, preceded him in death. A memorial service for friends and family will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 13, 2008, at First Presbyterian Church, 125 South 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 2222 South 17th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401.