James M. Hotchkiss Jr.

James M. Hotchkiss, Jr. Jan. 16, 1927 ~ Dec. 31, 2009 Resident of Lafayette James M. Hotchkiss, Jr. passed away in his home on December 31. Born in Oakland, Jim spent much of his childhood in Healdsburg. After serving in the Navy at the end of WWII, Jim returned to the Bay Area to obtain his undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley and later his MBA at Stanford University. Jim established his own accounting office, first in Oakland and then in Orinda. Though retired for more than a decade, he still went to office daily to meet with clients and conduct genealogical research. Jim could be counted on for many things, but his Hawaiian shirts and propensity to never resist the opportunity for a good (or bad) pun were legendary. He was an avid fan of musical theater and eagerly awaited football season every fall. Jim loved his family, past and present. Spending hours researching his family tree, he was eager to share stories about his pioneering roots and wrote three books highlighting the lives of some of his more colorful relatives: First Lady of Tennis: Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman; A Pair of Kings and a Joker; and The Millionaire Miner and the Indian Girl. But it was his immediate family that he treasured above all else. Jim is survived by his wife of 61 years Isabel, his sons Joseph and wife Rose of Knightsen, and Edward of Lafayette. He was extremely proud of his grandchildren Sarah Hotchkiss, Beth Hotchkiss, and Marion Merrill; and adored his great-grandchildren Samantha and Cheyanne. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Contra Costa Food Bank, Planned Parenthood or the Nature Conservancy.