James O. Hacker Jr.

JAMES O. HACKER, JR.

Mr. Hacker, age 62, died on Monday, January 2, 2006, at Carolina's Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, after a brave battle with leukemia. Jim was born on May 21, 1943, in Los Angeles County, CA to James O. Hacker, Sr. and the late Ramona Lackaff Hacker. He received his undergraduate degree from Fresno State College and his master's degree from the University California, San Francisco. Jim married Beverly Bernhauer Harris in 1978. An enthusiastic supporter and advocate of the arts, Jim gave of his time and talents to further the missions of several arts groups in Charlotte, NC and Fresno, CA. Jim was a former board member and two-term chairman of both the Charlotte Children's Choir and Friends of the Opera; he also served on the board of Opera Carolina. He appeared in several operas (non-singing roles), including the role of Mayor in Rosenkavalier. He was a member of The Symphony Guild and patron of the Mint Museum. Jim was also a patron of the Fresno Arts Center and supported the Fresno Philharmonic. Other community activities included serving on the board of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Seniors Center and the Adult-Child Safety Council of United Way. Jim was a member of the board of Roeding Park Playland (now Rotary Playland) in Fresno. Since moving to Charlotte in 1985, he was an active member of St. John's Episcopal Church where he founded the community-wide Job Hunters Support Group. Since 1981, Jim served in various positions in the healthcare industry beginning with Community Hospitals of Central California. In 1985, Jim was recruited by Mercy Health System of Charlotte, NC where he developed new services, created marketing programs targeted to the medical staff and implemented a physician recruitment program for Mercy South. In 1992, Jim became an Asst. Professor of Healthcare Administrating at Winthrop University, where he directed the program and received three Citations for Excellence. Since 2002, Jim worked for the Volunteers in Medicine Institute, a not-for-profit organization which helps develop free health clinics for those without medical insurance. He was an associate member of the NC Assoc. of Free Clinics. In Fresno, he also worked for Proctor & Gamble and Calavaris Cement. Surviving is his beloved wife Beverly of the home; daughter, Amy Lehman and her husband Eric of Woodland, CA; stepdaughter, Caroline Avila and her husband Juan of Fresno; and stepson, Vance Harris of Fresno. Grandchildren include Jon Avila of Fresno and Austyn, Andrew and Alyvia Lehman of Woodland. Also surviving is his father, James O. Hacker, Sr.; three brothers, Michael and his wife Patsy of Sanger, CA, Rodney and his wife Shirley of Clovis, CA and Casey of Shaver Lake, CA; and three nieces. A Memorial Service will be held at Northpark Community Church, 2297 E. Shepherd Ave. in Fresno, on Friday, February 3, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. Memorials may be made to your local Leukemia Lymphoma Society; and to the Volunteers in Medicine Institute, 162 St. Paul St., Burlington, VT 05401.