James Henry Lang

James Henry Lang passed away peacefully on Tuesday May 27, 2014, at age 79, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Carolyn (Wolf), who was there holding his hand through his final hours, and their three children and their families: Greg Lang, his wife Suzanne and daughter Kate, of Mason, MI; Robert Lang, his wife Diane and son Peter, of Alamo, CA; and Marla San Miguel, her husband Renay, and children Isabel and Sam, of Mercer Island, WA. Jim was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1935 to George and Rosalie Lang and grew up in Dayton with his four younger sisters Kathy, Dianne, Fran, and Sallie. Big Jim was class President both his junior and senior years at Butler High School in Vandalia, Ohio, where he used his 6'7 frame to good advantage as a dominating center on the basketball team. He studied mechanical engineering at Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University) before taking a job with Chrysler Airtemp in Dayton, where he met Carolyn. They were married on May 25, 1957. While at Chrysler Airtemp, Jim and his family lived in Dayton, New Orleans, and Atlanta. In 1972, he moved the family back to Atlanta from Dayton and started his own company, J. H. Lang Associates, representing various HVAC manufacturers. Jim was a long-time officer in ASHRAE, exhibiting particular leadership to foster research and development, and he retired from his business life in 2000 as Vice-President at Seasons Four Specialty HVAC Equipment. In December of '72, Jim and his family joined Shallowford Presbyterian Church, which would become the center of his life and community for the next 40+ years. He served seven terms as elder, taught Sunday school, helped start the weekly Men's Prayer Breakfast and the Canoe Club, coached and played on church softball teams, was involved with various Mission projects and Habitat for Humanity homes, and sang baritone in the choir, as well as with the Michael O'Neal Singers. He was an avid gardener and collector of azaleas, hostas, and bromeliads. He coached Little League baseball and football, and helped build the baseball diamonds at Fitzgerald Field in Tucker. Jim passed his Eagle Scout knowledge on through epic family camping trips and deer hunting weekends with all three kids, as well as many backpacking trips with sons Greg and Robert. He especially loved going fishing in Alaska with daughter Marla and his good friend and kindred spirit George Hemenway. A memorial service will be held at Shallowford Presbyterian Church on Friday, May 30, at 4:00 pm with Rev. Dr. Chris Henry officiating. A reception will follow at the church. A private interment will be held at the Shallowford Presbyterian Memorial Garden. The family would like to thank Jim's caregivers at Arbor Terrace/Atria and Sunrise/Decatur during his physically challenging final years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Shallowford Presbyterian Church. A. S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.


Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033