James Hanson Lemon Jr.

James Hanson Lemon, Jr., of Washington DC and Jupiter Island, Florida, passed away peacefully at his home on April 4th with his family at his side. His life of 88 years was characterized by his great kindness and generosity, his modesty and keen sense of humor, and most of all his deep and abiding love for his children and grandchildren with whom he shared an extremely close relationship. He is already dearly missed.

Jim had a distinguished career: he was the former Chairman and CEO of Johnston, Lemon & Co., Incorporated, an investment banking and securities trading firm founded in Washington, DC in 1920. He was also the former Director and Chairman of the Washington Management Corporation, which was the Business Manager for several mutual funds—most notably Washington Mutual Investors Fund founded by Johnston, Lemon in 1952.

After graduating from Saint Albans School in 1954, and from Princeton University in 1958, Jim served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy. In 1960, he became a research analyst at Eastman Dillon, Union Securities & Co. in New York City. He returned to Washington in 1963, where he became an Assistant Sales Manager at Johnston, Lemon & Co., Incorporated and ultimately became its Chairman and CEO—a position he held for nearly 40 years.

In addition to his business career, Jim had a multi-generational family relationship with the Children’s Hospital of Washington and served for many years on its Advisory Board. He also served on the Advisory Board of the Washington Winter Show (the Washington Antiques Show), and was a member of the Life Guard of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. In 1980, Jim co-founded the Lemon Foundation, a private family foundation, which supports charitable organizations primarily in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Jim was an avid golfer and long-standing member of several clubs including: Chevy Chase, Burning Tree, Maidstone, Seminole, and Jupiter Island.

He is preceded in death by his daughter, Lavinia Lemon Pitzer. He is survived by his daughter Ashley Lemon Shaw, his sons-in-law, Clinton Robert Shaw, Jr. and Andrew Conklin Pitzer, and his five beloved grandchildren: Elizabeth Ashley Pitzer, Claire Madison Pitzer, James Lemon Pitzer, Fletcher Lemon Shaw, and George Fisher Shaw.

After a private burial at Rock Creek Cemetery, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 18th at 11:00 a.m., in the Little Sanctuary at Saint Albans School. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Children’s Hospital of Washington to the attention of Shelly Cook, One Inventa Place, Sixth Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or Saint Albans School c/o Lanier Frank, Mount Saint Alban, Washington, DC 20016.