James C. Mize, Jr.

James Claude Mize, Jr. was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, son and friend. He passed from this world to heaven on June 23. Jim was passionate about his family, his country and Jimmy Buffett music. He loved mango trees, banana pudding and the movie "Top Gun." His favorite hobbies included bowling, fishing, shooting at the firing range, reading Randy Wayne White novels, taking road trips with his family and working on his 10-acre property. When Jim put his mind to achieving a goal, he invariably succeeded whether it meant taming a wild patch of Loxahatchee land, surviving a tempestuous sailboat ride across the Gulf of Mexico, shedding 150 pounds or gently coaxing his young daughter through years of recovery from a horrific car accident. Born on February 16, 1952, in Miami to two Eastern Airlines employees, Jim grew up riding his bike around 1950s Hialeah. As a young man, his aspirations led him to study engineering at the University of Miami. He eventually changed course, however, and graduated from Florida International University with a degree in political science. Jim sold his Datsun 280Z to pay for his first year of law school at the University of Florida. It was there that he met fellow law student Wanda Sue Shiver, whom he later called "a really exciting woman." The two married at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church in Orlando on March 22, 1980, the same year Jim graduated from law school. They lived happily through 35 years of marriage, raising two wonderful children along the way. Jim became a highly successful attorney, first working as a private practice litigator in Orlando before taking a job with Palm Beach County in 1996 as a senior assistant county attorney. It was a move he made so he could spend more time with his family. He later became chief assistant county attorney for Palm Beach County and served as chief of litigation and chief of special projects. Jim worked on numerous notable projects for the county, including representing Palm Beach County in the 2000 presidential election debacle and negotiations surrounding the development of Scripps Research Institute at Mecca Farms, serving as general counsel for Solid Waste Authority for several years and playing an integral role in the negotiations for construction of SWA's Renewable Energy Facility 2, to name a few. Some people believed he reduced the number of lawsuits the county faced just by being a member of the legal team. Even in his 60s, Jim loved to learn. He recently completed a permaculture design course led by renowned expert Geoff Lawton. Jim was an active member of Wellington Presbyterian Church, where he was well known and loved. He enjoyed attending a church Bible study with his wife and friends. His faith was a quiet but foundational element of his life. Jim is survived by his wife, Wanda Mize; his son and daughter- in-law Patrick and Laura Mize; his daughter and son-in-law Abigail and Theodore Thieben; his sister, Terry Thompson; three nephews; one niece; and seven great-nieces and great-nephews. His family calls him the kindest and most honorable man they have ever known. A Memorial Service will take place at 1:00 PM on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at Wellington Presbyterian Church, 1000 Wellington Trace, Wellington, Florida 33414. A luncheon will be served after the service.