On November 30, family members, State Department colleagues and friends of our classmate Jim Eighmie Jr. ’67 gathered at the historic DACOR Bacon House in Washington, D.C., for a service memorializing Jim’s over 30 years of government service, his remarkable linguistic skills in French and Arabic and his uncommonly generous character and decency. Jim’s career included everything from acting as a special assistant to Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker in Vietnam to assignment as an economic specialist in a number of Middle East countries and as a sanctions and energy expert at the State Department and in Paris. Described with admiration as a “devout conversationist” and remembered for his charming “particularities,” many recalled his unique knowledge of the art, architecture, history, music and cultures of the nations where he served as a Foreign Service Officer. Those speaking at the memorial also spoke about Jim’s long and brave battle with cancer which was aided by a bone marrow transplant from his sister.
—Peter Trooboff ’69