Atty. James Blakely Lockhart

Obituary For Atty. James Blakely Lockhart

James Alexander Blakely (“Jim”) Lockhart, a distinguished attorney, corporate executive, and community leader, passed away on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the age of 88. Jim embodied dignity, sophistication, generosity, and charm. Known for his warmth, captivating storytelling, and lively spirit, he lit up every gathering and shared his love for fine food and music with all. Jim was born in New York City on May 27, 1936 at French Hospital to Edgar L. Lockhart and Margaret E. Blakely. He spent his early years in Louisville, Georgia and Kingstree, South Carolina before moving to North Carolina, where he graduated from the prestigious Palmer Memorial Institute in 1954. He earned a B.S. in business administration from Boston University in 1957 and a J.D. from Boston University in 1959.

Jim’s career was marked by service and leadership. After earning his law degree, he served in the U.S. Army as a judge advocate at the 5th Army Headquarters in Chicago, achieving the rank of captain before his honorable discharge in 1963. His legal career then took him to the Chicago office of the Treasury Department, where he worked as an attorney in the office of the chief counsel. In 1965, he served as an assistant corporation counsel for the City of Chicago.

In 1967, Jim became a partner at the law firm Rivers, Lockhart, Clayter & Lawrence, a position he held until 1971, when he transitioned to the corporate world as senior vice president of Budget Rent-A-Car. Following Budget's acquisition in 1979 by Transamerica Corporation, headquartered in San Francisco, California, he was promoted to Vice President of Public Affairs, a role he held until his retirement in 1998. While in California, he lived in Moraga and later in Oakland. He summered at his residence on Martha’s Vineyard. Upon retirement, he moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he resided for two decades before moving to Richmond, Virginia.

Throughout his career, Jim was deeply committed to social and civic causes. He was the past chair of the Bay Area Urban League and a founder and past chair of the City Club of San Francisco. He was chairman of the Port of Oakland, chairman of the board of KQED, San Francisco’s public broadcasting station, and served on the national PBS Board. His service extended to Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, also known as The Boulé, where he chaired the social action committee and served as Vice Chair of The Boulé Foundation. In addition, he was a member of The Guardsmen and the Bohemian Club.

James A. B. Lockhart's legacy will live on through his numerous contributions to law, business, and community service. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Douglas Lockhart. Surviving are his son, Marc (Ann) B. Lockhart; stepson, Diallo H. Williams; first wife, Reba Howard; four grandchildren, Blakely K. Lockhart, Kali L. Lockhart, Diallo R. Williams, and Dakar J. Williams; a host of extended family, friends, and associates. He will be remembered for his leadership and dedication to improving lives for the Black community, so much so that his accomplishments and life were chronicled by The HistoryMakers Digital Archive:

The Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 7, 2024 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. 1719 N 22nd Street, Richmond, VA 23223

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to H.O.M.E.S., Inc. (Housing Opportunities, Mortgage Assistance, & Effective Neighborhood Solutions), a non-profit organization in which Jim and Ruth were deeply involved.

Linda Taylor, HOMES Inc, 690 NE 13th St., Suite 101, Ft. Lauderdale 33304 or ltaylor@homesfl.org Phone 954-563-5454 www.homesfl.org