James Scott Graham (“Jim”) passed away peacefully on Nov. 7, 2025, at Sunrise Senior Living, Buckhead after a brief illness. Born on Dec. 22, 1932, in Munhall, Pa., he loved to point out that his birthday was “fun to remember,” and that was Jim himself: fun to be with and fun to remember.
Jim was the son of Alice Marilyn Graham and James Scott Graham, Sr. and the devoted husband of Dorothy Alice Graham.
Married a month after Dorothy finished high school in Butler, Pa., theirs was a lifelong partnership full of kindness, laughter, and adventure.
Jim served his country during the Korean War and was stationed in Kobe, Japan, working for the Army Corps of Engineers. He often wore his signature Korean War Veteran hat to prove it. Jim’s experience in Japan sparked a lifelong fascination with engineering and seeing how things fit together, from bridges to people.
After returning home, Jim earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He later earned a master’s degree in economics from Columbia University.
Jim thoroughly enjoyed his lifelong career as a geotechnical engineer. One of his prize projects was the design and construction of the Washington, D.C. Metro System.
Jim loved to learn, to fix (especially with duct tape), and to explore, but his real passion was the water. Jim raced sailboats well into his 70s at the American Yacht Club in Rye. He rarely missed an opportunity to sail in the club’s Frostbiting race series every winter.
Jim and Dorothy made their happy retirement home in Sun City, Griffin, Ga., where Jim was an active and beloved member of the First Presbyterian Church of Griffin. His favorite church celebration there was the Kirking of the Tartans, to which he proudly wore the Graham plaid kilt he had had made for him during a trip to Scotland with his granddaughter, Anna.
Jim also served as a deacon, elder, and session member at Rye Presbyterian Church during his 30-plus years in Rye. He also taught young adult Sunday school at Hill United Presbyterian Church in Butler, Pa., when he was a young adult himself.
After Dorothy’s passing, Jim continued to embrace life with curiosity and enthusiasm. In his later years, he traveled the world with his family, visiting U.S. National Parks, including Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Petrified Forest. His international destinations included Scotland, Egypt, Greece, Ireland, and Iceland. One of his last adventures was to go on safaris in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Jim’s adventurous spirit never faded. He loved discovering new places and sharing those experiences with the people he loved.
Jim is survived by his brother, William H. Graham (Elizabeth Graham); his daughter, Jamie Lynn Graham (John Ballam); his grandchildren, Sara Elizabeth Seals (Alan Seals), Anna Katherine Greene, and Joshua James Jackson; his great-granddaughters, Savannah Lynn Seals and Elizabeth Joan Seals; and 13 nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Dorothy Alice Graham, and his daughter, Ruth Alice Jackson (Timothy Jackson).
Jim lived a life full of curiosity and adventure, and he made sure to bring everyone he loved along for the ride. Whether he was steering a sailboat, walking on a beach, planning his next big trip, or telling one of his many stories, he did it all with a surplus of humor and generosity.
Fair winds and following seas, Jim. You will be deeply missed and joyfully remembered.
