Obituary: NORTH, DR. JAMES

Dr. James Albert North1934 ~ 2013Dr. James Albert North passed away on August 1, 2013. He was born on March 18, 1934 to Leslie Albert and Arlene Baulton North. He was the oldest and only boy of five children.James was raised in Heber, Utah where he graduated from Wasatch High School lettering in four sports and participating in the band. He then attended Dixie College where he played football and tennis and was a member of the student council. James was called to serve an LDS mission to Australia. While serving his mission, he was privileged to participate on the Mormon Yankee Basketball Team with Elder Loren Dunn and played for the Australian National Championship.Upon returning from his mission, James married his sweetheart, Laural Holt. As he continued his extensive higher education there was a child for each degree. Tony for the Bachelors, Steve came with the Masters, Valorie for the PhD., and Sherie finished the Post Doctorate, which was earned for his study with Albert Sabin for polio vaccine and cancer research. James then accepted a teaching and research position in the Microbiology Department at Brigham Young University. During his 33 years of teaching, he was extremely well published in the field of virology and was presented with many distinguished honors and awards. Dr. North advised many graduate students through their degrees and was affectionately referred to as "Chief". He served as Chairman for the National Society of Microbiology and was a member of Sigma XI and Phi Kappa Phi. He served as the Department Head of Microbiology at BYU for eight years and brought many grants totaling over several million dollars for research in the field of microbiology at BYU.James enjoyed many hobbies such as raising and showing Arabian horses on a national level. He also loved tennis and played in the Huntsman and National Senior games. One of his other pleasures was watching ALL BYU athletic teams play. However, his greatest joy was watching his grandchildren perform in music, theatre, and athletic events. His desire was for all of them to reach and fulfill the wonderful potential he knew they possessed.James is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Laural H. North, his children, Tony James (Brita) North of Spring City, Utah, Steven Leslie (Tamara) North of Heber, Utah, Valorie (Jim) Parker of Beaverton, Oregon, and Sherie (Paul) Ritchie of Pleasant Grove, Utah, his three sisters, Ila Jean Swithenbank, Beverly (Ron) Haun, and Lynn (Bruce) Jacobson, 18 grandchildren, and 7+ great-grandchildren.He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Connie Tyrovolas and a granddaughter Elizabeth Laural Ritchie. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 9, 2013 11:00 AM in the Heber LDS Stake Center, 150 West 200 North, Heber City. Visitations will be on Thursday from 6:00 8:00 PM and on Friday from 9:30 10:30 AM prior to the services, both at the LDS Church. Interment will follow the services in the Midway City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinhoopes.com