Obituary of James Babcock

James Allen, "Jim" Babcock, 98, passed away on Monday, April 28, 2014 in Myrtle Beach, SC where he had been a resident for the past several years.

Jim was born on May 8, 1915 in Michigan, SD, the eldest of three sons of the late Mac Lean and Fernell Babcock. He is survived by his younger brother, Dr. Steven W. Babcock and his wife Kay of Madison Wis., his son Richard J. Babcock and wife Betsie Babcock of Myrtle Beach, SC, daughter, Catherine R. Waldo and husband James of Oklahoma City, OK, stepson Bob Kellam and wife Susan of Raleigh, NC and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jim graduated from high school in State College, PA. During that time he earned his ham radio license, "K4ABJ" and the Eagle Scout Award. He received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. While at Penn State he was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Delta Pi, and Phi Eta Sigma national engineering honor societies.

During the second World War, he was involved with various government projects. After the war, he earned his MS Degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh while a graduate trainee with Westinghouse Electric.

In 1947 he left Westinghouse for a time to work for Walton Laboratories Inc., and H. A. Brassert & Co. as Project Engineer for a steel pipe mill in South America. In 1950, he was rehired by Westinghouse Electric in New York as General Manager of Windsor Manufacturing and Research, a wholly owned Subsidiary of Westinghouse. In 1953 he was assigned to Raleigh, NC to oversee construction and be the first General Manager of what was to become the Westinghouse Watt-Hour Meter Plant in Raleigh, NC, which was the largest non-textile related industry in the area at that time. He remained manager of the meter plant until 1963. During his tenure as Plant Manager, he worked with Governor Luther Hodges in the early planning of the Research Triangle Park and was named an "Honorary Tarheel", and served on Governor Terry Sanford's executive committee for the employment of the handicapped. He was a member of the Raleigh Rotary Club, a Deacon and Elder in White Memorial Presbyterian Church, a Thirty-Second Degree Mason, and member of the Carolina Country Club, Spinx Club and the Milbournie Fishing Club.

In 1963 he was transferred to Westinghouse headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA as Vice President of manufacturing and then held various management positions until his retirement from Westinghouse and returned to Raleigh in 1978.

During his retirement , he was active in the Raleigh 2-Meter Radio Net and was a member of the American Radio Relay League with his call sign "K4ABJ" for over 60 years. He also served in Governor Jim Hunt's Retired Senior Executive program. He enjoyed the White Memorial Presbyterian "Keen Agers" program and the Westinghouse Meter Plant Retirees Association meetings. He was an avid clock collector and enjoyed repairing clocks for his friends.

A funeral service will be held 2:00 pm Thursday, May 1, 2014 at the Chapel of Memories Mausoleum at Montlawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 8300 Health Park, Raleigh, NC 27615.