Jim was born on August 26, 1953, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to James and Elsie (Massey) Hastie. After growing up in West Chester with his parents and sister Carole, he attended West Chester State College (now West Chester University), where he graduated in 1976 with a bachelor of arts in Geography. Applying that knowledge, he briefly worked for the state of South Carolina before beginning his career with E.I. DuPont de Nemours at the Cooper River plant in Charleston. Jim’s 28-year career as a technical associate for automation control systems with DuPont led him to relocate his family to Kinston, North Carolina in 1994. Following his time with DuPont, Jim finished out his career at Novo Nordisk as a senior process maintenance technician and retired on December 31, 2018. Both companies afforded him the opportunity to travel abroad to share his technical knowledge, attention to detail, and dedication to efficiency and process improvement with colleagues across the world.
Following the example of his parents, Jim was devoted to his family. He was a cornerstone and anchor for family and friends due to his unwavering love, dependability, steadiness, and Christian faith.
Jim was a hockey enthusiast and an avid Carolina Hurricanes fan. He enjoyed spending time with friends and family and his loyal dog Ollie. Jim’s other pastimes included attending live music events and concerts, following politics and financial markets, and visiting the beach, Hilton Head Island most of all. A tinkerer and problem solver, Jim took pride in fixing things and sharing his knowledge with others. With his sharp sense of humor and quick wit, he could come up with a nickname for anything or anyone and always kept everyone laughing.
Jim was preceded in death by his father James Prentice Hastie and his mother Elsie Massey Hastie. He is survived by his daughter Jeanna Hastie of Raleigh, North Carolina; daughter Jamie (Hastie) Yelverton, son-in-law Jordan, and granddaughter Lennon of Holly Springs, North Carolina; sister Carole (Hastie) DeWolf and brother-in-law Walt of Berthoud, Colorado; and several cousins, nieces, a nephew, and an uncle.
A memorial service in Jim’s honor will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020, at Mitchell Funeral Home at 7209 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina at 12:00 p.m. Attendance will be limited to 50 people, with social distancing and masks required.
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