James L. Westbrook Jr.

James Layman Westbrook, Jr.
Southern Pines
James Layman Westbrook, Jr., 68, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident on Nov. 27.
He had just begun to serve as Interim County Manager of Moore County on Nov. 26. Jim had a long and successful career both in public service and in the U. S. Army. He served as the City Manager of Asheville, NC from 1994-2005, the Town Manager of Cary, NC from 1988- 1994 as well as numerous other positions in local government finance in NC and VA.
Jim retired from the U.S. Army Reserves having attained the rank of Colonel, and served in Viet Nam and Operation Desert Storm. He received The Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal and various other awards and decorations.
Jim was on the Board of Advisors of the Senior Executive Institute of the University of Virginia, the Board of Directors of the School of Government Foundation at UNC Chapel Hill, and served as a Senior Advisor to the International City and County Managers Association.
Born in Durham and graduating from Durham High School in 1963, Jim went on to earn a BA in Political Science from UNC Chapel Hill, an MA in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Administration from Appalachian State University and certificates in the Government Executives Institutes from UNC and the University of Virginia.
He has participated actively in the communities in which he has lived through Rotary Clubs, United Way Executive Board, Economic Development Commissions, Sister Cities Programs, Moore County Hounds, Friends of Weymouth and various church boards. He was a member of Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines.
Surviving is his wife of 44 years, Diane Thompson Westbrook; his son, James Blair Buchanan Westbrook and wife, Marguerite of Columbia, SC; his son-in-law, Daniel Arthur Turton of Washington DC; grandchildren, Shaw Layman Preston Turton, Lane Buchanan Ainsworth Turton, and Mason Grace Taylor Turton; sisters, Janie Ann Westbrook of Durham and Delores Kurtti of Ft. Myers, FL, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is pre-deceased by his daughter, Ashley Westbrook Turton, and his parents, James Layman Westbrook, Sr. and Janie Pauline Westbrook of Durham.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 30 at 2 pm at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines and the burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery in Chapel Hill at 11 am on Saturday, December 1, 2012.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Ashley Westbrook Turton Scholarship, School of Government Foundation, UNC Chapel Hill, CB# 3330 Knapp-Sanders Bldg., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3330 or to Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church Music Fund, 330 South May St., Southern Pines, NC 28387.
Online condolences can be made to www.bolesfuneral home.com
Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines is serving the family.