James Franklin Crafts, Jr.
June 16, 1926 - August 8, 2017
We mourn the loss of our husband, brother, father, grandfather, greatgrandfather and friend. A brilliant man who lived his life as an example to all, teaching us the value of education through his lifelong curiosity and love of reading; of fairness, honesty and integrity in the way he lived his life, both personally and professionally; and of adventure, through his love of travel.
Born in Rochester, New York, the eldest son of James and Marion Crafts, Jim grew up outside of Boston, sharing his summer holidays with his brother and sisters at Cuba Lake in upstate New York. Following service in the Army during World War II Jim attended Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude in 1950. Jim’s family moved to California while he was in college and it was here that he met Patricia Hughmanick in the summer of 1948.
They married in August, 1950, sailed on the Lurline to Hawaii, and were introduced to Kauai by college friends from the island. Upon their return, Jim and Pat set up house on the San Francisco peninsula as Jim started his studies at Stanford Law School.
He graduated from Stanford Law in 1953 and headed east for a clerkship on the U.S. Supreme Court under Justice William O. Douglas. This was the year of the Brown vs Board of Education decision and, as the decision came down, Jim declared to Pat that if he never did anything again with the law, he would be satisfied. Returning home to Hillsborough, Jim joined the Orrick law firm, where he had a long and successful career.
Jim was an avid golfer, bridge player, and season ticket holder for the 49ers and SF Opera. He belonged to the Pacific Union and Burlingame Country Clubs, and was a member of the Tree House Whist Club. Jim served as a director for LilliAnn, the SF Opera Association, The League to Save Lake Tahoe, and was a trustee at Cate School. He worked many years for Malama Maha’ulepu to help preserve the Maha’ulepu coastline on Kauai.
Jim’s and Pat’s travels included many exotic locations all over the world, but they always returned to their second home on their beloved Kauai, and Lake Tahoe, where they shared summers with siblings and friends at the family homes in Glenbrook.
Jim passed away peacefully at home. He is survived by Pat, his wife of 67 years, brother Dave (Martha) of Cincinnati, sisters Judy (Tom) Gorman of San Mateo and Ellen (Phil) Collins of Seattle, daughters Anne (Steve) Jones of Walnut Creek and Joan Barnhart of Ashland, grandchildren James and Sarah Jones, Rachael and Douglas Barnhart, and great-granddaughter Evelyn Hylton. Sadly, he was pre-deceased by his son James F. Crafts, III.
We are especially grateful to his compassionate caregivers, Nellie Maasi and Vickie Tapueluelu. A celebration of his life is planned. Donations in his memory may be made to: The League to Save Lake Tahoe, Harvard College, or the Koloa Library, Kauai.