James H. Flora, BHS 1944

James H. Flora, BHS 1944

Flora, James H. Former La Habra Mayor

James H. Flora, passed away on December 18, 2010 after an extended illness. The youngest of Marshall and Myrtle Flora's five children, Jim was born on February 25, 1926 in Burbank, California. He joined three brothers and a sister.

Jim attended Burbank schools where he was an avid athlete particularly devoted to basketball and baseball. He graduated from Burbank High on January 31, 1944 and joined the Navy February 1, 1944. After boot camp he was sent to San Francisco for radio school and then assigned to the U.S.S. Execute, a minesweeper, which was sent to the South Pacific. His ship swept mines in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa. Jim served in the area until the end of the war in August 1945. He was discharged in May of 1946.

In September he enrolled at the University of Redlands where his brother Bill was also enrolled. Jim graduated in 1950 after lettering in basketball and making the golf team. On his first day at Redlands he met Patricia Korine Bishop. He told his roommate he would marry her. On August 20, 1948 Jim and Pat married. After graduation they moved to Burbank and in 1951 Jim went to work for Southern California Edison in the Ontario office. He climbed the ladder of management and became an area manager.

Jim and Pat moved to La Habra during that time. Jim retired from Edison in 1988 after 35 years with the company. Jim became involved in the local Chamber of Commerce in local cities and served as president of several of them. Then Jim discovered politics. He was appointed to the La Habra Planning Commission, first in 1968 for two years and then in 1973- this time staying until 1984. He left the commission where he had been chairman four times after being elected to the La Habra City Council on which he served for 12 years. Twice he was Mayor of the city. When he retired from the council the city hired him to be its economic development director for two years. Jim served as a field representative for State Senator John Lewis for two years, and as a director on the board of Cal Domestic Water Company for two years.

Jim was an avid golfer having begun playing with his father when he was 11 years old. He was a member of Hacienda Golf Club for many years and took great pride in shooting his age (69) in 1995. A long-standing member of La Habra Hills Presbyterian Church, he and Pat joined Rose Drive Friends Church after moving to Fullerton. Jim was a man who loved and cared deeply about his wife and family, was a loyal and talented manager who represented his company well in his community, and who believed in giving back to the community where he lived.

Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Pat; his daughters, Susan (Greg) Burgin and Debi Bloomfield, and his grandchildren, Jason (Cindy) Donaldson, Ryan (Chrissy) Carr and Amy Donaldson, and three great-grandchildren, Vince Carr, Sophia Carr and Jackson Donaldson.

A memorial service will be held to celebrate his life on January 22, 2011 at 11 am at Rose Drive Friends Church which is located at 4221 Rose Drive in Yorba Linda, CA 92886. The family requests no flowers be sent but donations may be made to Virginia K. Crosson Cancer Center, 2151 N Harbor Blvd. Suite 220, Fullerton 92835, La Habra Hills Presbyterian Church at 951 Idaho Street, La Habra or to Rose Drive Friends Church at the address above. Memory Garden Mortuary

Published in Orange County Register on January 16, 2011