James Robert Lehmann

James Robert Lehmann died on November 4, 2026 with loving friends at his UNC Memorial Hospital bedside following a tragic e-bike accident. Jim was born to the late Harold and Helen Lehmann on June 9, 1947 in New York City and never lost his authentic New York core. After graduating from St. John’s University with a BS in Biology, Jim enlisted in the US Navy and served as a Hospital Corpsman in Taiwan and Vietnam. Jim was assigned to Marine patrol units in Vietnam and received the Navy Commendation Medal for meritorious service.

After transitioning to the Naval Reserve, Jim earned an MS at Long Island University then joined a nascent inhalation toxicology laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory in a technical role. In 1985, he moved to North Carolina and worked with the EPA research community for the next 32 years investigating the cardio-pulmonary impacts of air pollutants.

For over twenty years, Jim served his community as a volunteer EMT and a paramedic team leader at the South Orange Rescue Squad in Carrboro. He became certified in auto crash and SCUBA water rescues, and taught endless courses in EMT practices to many aspiring medical and nursing students and young rescue squad candidates. Although the impact of his knowledge and wisdom has woven through hundreds of medical and rescue professionals practicing today, Jim rarely spoke of his many laudable activities and ventures.

Jim loved to expand his mind with a wide range of literature and with traveling. He could truly be described as a Renaissance man who quoted scripture, Shakespeare, poetry, political speeches, movie scenes, and more with profound ease. His interest and reading of history took him traveling to parts of the route of the Lewis and Clark expedition, exploring many western battle scenes, and touring the escape routes of the Nez Perce tribe as they out-witted the US Army – all to learn first-hand information beyond what historians claimed.

Jim was a man who did not suffer fools, sometimes with an intimidating façade but always there to help. Beneath it was a man who loved deeply, and if you were lucky enough to be his friend, you knew it. His advice came with enormous wisdom, often a metaphor, and sometimes a little acerbity, but it was always rooted in love and delivered with a wink, his way of letting you know he understood. Jim’s local friends and colleagues were his family, and he showed his love for them in his inimitable ways – sharing his passion for books, minted coins, history, maps, tools, and old cars. Jim rarely let anyone know where he was, but when he decided the time was right, he would appear at your door, stay for a coffee, ask how you were doing, and catch up. A drop-in from Jim was the highest compliment. A few taps on his belly and it was time to “shove off,” but his presence always remained. Jim and his larger-than-life persona certainly have filled the hearts of many.

A gathering to share experiences and to celebrate Jim will be held at Hall-Wynne Funeral Home, 1113 West Main St., Durham, NC at 9:30 am on November 23, 2026. He will be interred later that day at the Salisbury National Cemetery, Salisbury, NC.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to these favorite charities of Jim: USO https://northcarolina.uso.org/support/donate or St. Labre Indian School in Montana https://www.give.stlabre.org