James McPherson Proctor III

PROCTOR

JAMES McPHERSON PROCTOR III

James McPherson Proctor III died on March 27, 2023 at Trinity Grove in Wilmington, NC. He was born in Washington, DC, on October 3, 1937, the son of James McPherson Proctor, Jr. and Sarah Stryker Proctor. He attended Mercersburg Academy (PA) and earned a Navy officer training scholarship to Princeton University, where he graduated with honors in 1959 and was captain of the varsity swim team. He served on active duty as a Marine Corps lieutenant in 1959-62.



In 1960 he married Judith Lynn Mattson. They had three children: James Mattson Proctor, of Rockville, MD, (grandchildren Joshua and Jason); Thomas McPherson Proctor, of Sonoma, CA (Eliana, Talia); and Susan Elizabeth Proctor, of Potomac MD, (Rachel Clair, Julia Clair). His wife Judy passed away in 1984. His daughter Susan passed away in 2016. His marriage to Mary Barden ended in divorce.



He graduated from Georgetown Law Center in 1966 and practiced law in Washington, DC. He became Associate General Counsel of the US Small Business Administration, prior to beginning a long career with General Investment Funds, in Chevy Chase, MD, the investment arm of General Tire Co., a large, diversified manufacturer. He was president of GIF Properties, Inc. until his retirement.



He was a sometimes skier and motorcyclist. He quit golf in favor of tennis, sailing and bicycling. But his main enthusiasm was mountain hiking, and he climbed Mt Kilimanjaro at age 50 – also Mt. Whitney (California), Pike's Peak (Colorado), Mauna Kea (Hawaii') and many others.



He was a direct descendant of a Mayflower voyager and a signer of the Declaration of Independence (Samuel Chase).



He moved to Wilmington, NC in 2005.



Family includes his sisters Nancy Proctor Bride of South Carolina and Elizabeth (Betsy) Proctor Jennings of Utah. His brother David died in 2009.



Interment will be at St. Columba's Columbarium at St. Columba's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC.