Dr. William Samuel Adolphus James

Following a short illness, Dr. William Samuel Adolphus James, Jr. passed away on December 16, 2025. He was born on January 17, 1938, in Birmingham, Alabama, to the Reverend William Adolphus James, and Sara Roberts James. The family later moved to Humbolt, Tennessee, where Reverend James was a Presbyterian minister and Bill spent his youth.

As a young child, Bill had eye surgery. He became determined to become an “eye doctor”, never wavering from that goal. His determination served him well in his academic and other pursuits. Bill was an Eagle Scout. Bill attended the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee (1952-1956), where he was Valedictorian and earned a full Merit Scholarship to Princeton University. While at Princeton, he was a member of the Cottage Club. After graduating with a degree in English, Bill earned his medical degree at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, from Columbia University, in New York. After completing a year as a medical intern at North Carolina Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, he served his military obligation as a general medical officer at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Bill was stationed at Hulburt Field, where Jimmy Doolittle and his Raiders trained for their famous Tokyo raid during World War II. He said that the Officers’ Club was a former summer house of Al Capone’s.

Returning to New York for four additional years of training in ophthalmology at the Eye Institute, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, Bill elected to join Dr. Fran L’Esperance for this first year dedicated to research. Fran was just developing the argon laser for use in ophthalmology. At the conclusion of training, Bill joined Fran in private practice in a busy Midtown practice, coupled with academic medicine at Columbia Presbyterian. He delighted in teaching younger physicians in the eye clinic. He also found time to publish several scientific papers, including a text book on diabetes and its ocular complications. During his time in New York, Bill developed a deep appreciation of Opera that he enjoyed throughout his life.

Bill and his first wife, Sallie Barre James, moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he established a new medical practice with Dr. David Berry, which expanded to four physicians before his retirement in 2007. Bill was preceded in death by Sallie in 2004.

After many years in Spartanburg, Bill met and married Frances McLanahan Nelson in 2016, who also was widowed. They have enjoyed many years of shared interests spending time with special friends and family, traveling, attending music performances and attending Lifelong Learning classes at Wofford together. He often said that he felt fortunate to gain a stepson and stepdaughter and grandchildren, whom he adored and delighted in. Bill deeply valued friendships and maintained close bonds with so many throughout his lifetime. A lover of many genres of music and a prolific reader, Bill’s curiosity lead to an enormous amount of knowledge on any given subject. His devotion included his love of animals, shown by his love of Scraps and Rufus and so many others and his serving as Chair of the Spartanburg Humane Society for many years.

Bill is survived by his devoted wife, Frances McLanahan James, his stepchildren, James Kelly Nelson, III and Katherine Nelson Todd (Walter), grandchildren Elizabeth McLanahan Bowie, George Flynn Bowie III, Walter Blakely Todd IV and Katherine McKellar Todd; his sister, Sally Elise James Robyn (Eric) and nephews Paul William Robyn (Dawn) and James Edward Robyn (Nicole); his brother-in-law Henry Walter Barre (Carol) and nieces Blaire Barre Morris (W.D.), Jeri Barre Cason (William) and nephew Bert Dixon Barre (Katherine) and many great nieces and great nephews - and many dear wonderful friends near and far.

His wit, humble nature and charm will be missed by so many.

A celebration of his life will be held Monday at 2pm, December 22, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church, 393 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Spartanburg Humane Society, Hand in Hand or Brevard Music Center, Brevard NC or the organization of your choice.