Richard James (February 8, 1926 – July 17, 2013) was a native of Oklahoma and an
American politician and lawyer. He was the long-time city attorney for Stroud, Oklahoma. He was described as, "...the longest serving public servant in the state of Oklahoma." He served two terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Early life
Born near
Prague, Oklahoma
Prague ( ) is a city in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,356 at the 2020 census, a 1.76 percent decrease from the figure of 2,388 in 2010. Czech immigrants founded the city, and named it after the Prague, capital of ...
, to Fred James and Lena Bierman, Fred grew up on a farm during the Great Depression. He graduated from Prague high school in 1943, and served in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The Navy sent him to Tulane University under its V-12 Program, as an Able Seaman, then to
Officer Candidate School
An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and Enlisted rank, enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a Commission (document), commission as Commissioned officer, officers in the armed forces of a country. H ...
. He returned to Tulane, where he received his degree in mathematics and was inducted into
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...
in 1945. He then enrolled in the
University of Oklahoma Law School, where he served as editor of the ''OU Law Review''. He received his law degree from OU in 1949.
["Richard James." In:''The Oklahoman Obituaries''. July 19-20, 2013.](_blank)
Accessed January 1, 2013.
Career in Law
Immediately after graduating from law school, he opened a law practice in
Stroud, Oklahoma. Richard James practiced law in Stroud continuously for the next 64 years. One of his first clients was the City of Stroud, which he served for 56 years on retainer as City Attorney.
One colleague described him as being "...focused and unyielding in his opinions and determined to do the right thing...(but) caring, compassionate and generous." However, he could clearly antagonize some people who disagreed with him. In 1992, a bomb exploded in the back of his car while he was driving from his home in Stroud to a client meeting in Prague. The car was still drivable, so he went on to the meeting. A few days later the police found a similar, but unexploded, bomb in the back seat of his law partner's car. The police never found who was responsible for the bombs.
Political life
He served in the
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's ...
1951–1954 as a
Republican. In 1967 he was appointed a special justice on the
Oklahoma Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is a court of appeal for non-criminal cases, one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and leads the judiciary of Oklahoma, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma. . He also served on the boards of regents for Oklahoma's colleges and universities in the Oklahoma State Universities system.
He attended two Republican conventions, once as a state delegate.
Personal
* Richard James died in
Stroud, Oklahoma, survived by his widow, three daughters, a son, a sister, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
* He was a long-time member and supporter of the First Baptist Church of Stroud, where he taught an adult Sunday school class for many years;
* He was a member of the Lions Club of Stroud, a service organization, for more than 60 years;
* He was named Stroud's Citizen of the Year for 1969;
* He received the Stroud Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement Award for 2010.
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Richard
1926 births
2013 deaths
Tulane University alumni
University of Oklahoma College of Law alumni
Oklahoma lawyers
Justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Military personnel from Oklahoma
United States Navy personnel of World War II
People from Lincoln County, Oklahoma
20th-century American judges
20th-century American lawyers
United States Navy sailors
20th-century members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives