James H. Samuels

James Samuels was born in New York City on August 10,1939. His family moved to California when he was an infant. Jim attended Beverly Hills High School, where he succeeded both as a student and as a student leader. In high school, his personal warmth and sympathetic nature contributed to the coming together of a group of friends, several of whom moved to the Bay Area after Jim settled in Berkeley. All have remained close throughout these many years.

Jim enlisted in the Army in 1959. Called to duty in 1961, he was stationed in France. While there he drew a much admired, larger than life-sized Michelangelo’s David for the base. After being released he stayed on in France, a period of freedom and artistic exploration that he thoroughly enjoyed. On Jim’s flight back to the US in 1963, bad weather in New Jersey caused his plane to land in NYC. He spent the afternoon at the United Nations, where the smart, pretty Dutch tour guide caught his eye. He impressed her with his questions, and Riet became his first wife. They settled in Berkeley, moved to Alaska where Jim had his first architectural job, got married, and returned to the Bay Area. Over the many years of their marriage they enjoyed traveling, reading and art, and ran a restaurant, La Salade on Solano Avenue, which Jim built himself. They had a daughter, Jessica, who brought them great joy.

Jim studied architecture at the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. He worked for Al Lanier and Chan Rader, and later for architect Don E. Olsen. Jim became a principal in the firm of E. Paul Kelly, Architecture and Planning in Berkeley. Besides office buildings, banks and churches, he designed the transformation of the UC Berkeley Clark Kerr housing complex and worked on the expansion of the Berkeley YMCA. He designed the bank at the corner of Channing and Shattuck, which, with its curved facade, was innovative. Jim worked on countless Kaiser projects. One of the pinnacles of his career was the design of Kaiser Napa.

Jim participated in Berkeley civic work by serving on the Planning Commission, the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Berkeley Historical Plaque Project, and was a member of Berkeley Design Advocates. Simply put, he loved the city of Berkeley. He came here as a young man and revelled in the exciting, academically driven, cosmopolitan culture.

Jim met his second wife, Jill Cooper, in 2004. They were inseparable from the night they met, and continued to be so for almost 15 years. Jim and Jill savored their many happy years together, enjoying trips, spending time with family and friends, gardening, sharing their love of music and art, and they lived as harmonious and joyful companions.

Jim was a thoughtful and sensitive person. He was an intellectual without being self important, an architect of comprehensive talent, kind and funny, and always engaged with the people around him. He remained an ardent student of literature, history and art, and was himself a talented artist. He had a never failing hunger for ideas, and loved good conversation. Jim was a genuine, humble person of uncommon humanity and sensitivity.

After a life of robust health Jim had a brief and sudden setback and passed away in January 2019. He leaves behind many close and loving ties, most especially Jill, Jessica and Riet. We are all sorry not to have more time with him. Jim led a good and meaningful life to which we can all aspire.