Mr Robert "Bob" Emerson James

Bob was one of four children and grew up in La Mesa, California. Attending La Mesa Dale Elementary, La Mesa Middle School, and Helix High School. In 1961, Bob's family moved to Mission Beach and he graduated from Mission Bay High School. He then attended San Diego State University before enlisting in the United States Army.

Bob served his duty in Munich, Germany for three plus years until he was in an automobile accident. He had severe injuries to his left arm and was transferred to a San Francisco military hospital to recover for six months. After serving honorably in the United States Army, Bob began his career in banking as a loan officer at The Bank of California and two other area Southern California banks. Leaving his Assistant Vice President of Real Estate & Construction Finance, he moved his family to Carbon County, Utah to develop residential subdivisions and apartment properties during the energy crisis and coal boom in 1974-78. Bob served his community with a local Kiwanis club in Price, Utah. As the economy changed, Bob started a career in real estate appraisal in the late 1970’s, learning from his father, Emerson M. James, also a career San Diego appraiser.

Bob moved his family back to San Diego in 1980, and later began his own appraisal firm, Robert E. James & Associates. He was a generalist, consultant, review appraiser, and had extensive experience as an expert witness in litigation for eminent domain, fraud, mortgage lending, and insurance cases. Bob also instructed appraisal classes at area education centers. Bob mentored numerous other area appraisers.

Bob was also a longtime Rotarian as a member of the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary club and then the Old Mission Rotary club. For over 25 years, he made a significant impact on Service Above Self. The greatest service was to the health of children and families in the community of San Quintin, Mexico through public health initiatives, facilities construction, and education. The project was called VIIDAI. Bob helped organize and fund projects in conjunction with other Rotarians, SDSU, UCSD, and UABC. Bob also led a group of teachers through a month-long service project in Africa on a Rotary Group Study Exchange in 2001. Bob was a two-time District 5340 Rotarian of the Year and served as Executive Officer for two District Governors, Ron Beaubien and P. Marty Peters.

Bob is survived by his three children, three grandchildren, and a great granddaughter. He is survived by his sister Susan and two brothers. His son Bob James, Jr. and his wife Kathleen and their two sons Isaac and Daniel. He is also survived by his daughter Andrea Marie James and her son Max James-Risch. He is also survived by his daughter Jennifer O’Brien Simmonson, her husband Tony Simmonson, and their son Jack Simmonson. Additional family he loved was Isaac's wife Lisa Marie, Daniel's wife Kandis and their great granddaughter Zoey. Preceding him in death was his father Emerson M. James and Barbara D. James, of San Diego, CA. Bob was married three times and cherished the many years with Rose M. James, Janet Wood, and Roberta Hartley. Timi Gleason was a special person for so many years in Bob’s life, especially in recent years.

Donations are encouraged to be given to the Old Mission Rotary Foundation, designated for donation of funds to VIDAII. Please visit www.oldmissionrotary.org. Please send any donations to 1334 Hardin Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.pacificbeachchapel.com for the James family.