James R. Lincicome

- James R. Lincicome, 77, retired Executive Vice President of Motorola, Inc., avid skier, tennis enthusiast, and community leader, died at his Phoenix home on December 5, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Until his 1987 retirement, Mr. Lincicome served as General Manager of Motorola's Government Electronics Group headquartered in Scottsdale during its highest growth years of 1979-1987. He joined Motorola in Chicago in 1950. Mr. Lincicome was born on August 11, 1925 in Urbana, Illinois. He graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois in 1949. His college career was interrupted by 30 months in the Army Air Corps during WWII. After leaving Motorola Mr. Lincicome served on the Board of Directors of Southwest Gas Co., the Primerit Bank and Atherton Corporation. Mr. Lincicome is remembered by many Valley leaders for his community involvement throughout the 1970-1990s. He became chairman of the Phoenix Urban League, Junior Achievement of Central Arizona, United for Arizona, and Valley of the Sun United Way. Mr. Lincicome also served on the boards of numerous community charitable organizations. He received the ASU Presidents Medal for his leadership of the Engineering Excellence program. Since his retirement, Mr. Lincicome enthusiastically pursued his commitment to the concepts of limited government, individual freedom / choice and personal responsibility through community-based organizations including the Goldwater Institute for Public Policy, Arizonans for Death with Dignity, and The Fair Tax. Until his death, his passion remained fostering a vigorous debate on end-of-life issues and options for the elderly. Mr. Lincicome enjoyed a very active life until his final weeks, spending winters skiing in Snowbird, Utah and pursuing his passion for tennis in Echo Canyon. He skied more than one million vertical miles a year since his retirement. Mr. Lincicome is survived by his cherished wife, Catherine McKee Lincicome, son John R. Lincicome of Scottsdale, daughter Debra J. Drysdale of Tucson, sister Delores Maxine Castle of Champaign, Illinois and brother, Donald C. Lincicome, also of Tucson. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, December 10th at Messinger Mortuary, 7601 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of the Valley, whose compassion and care sustained Lincicome and his family during his final days.