James Daniel Randall Jr.

James Daniel Randall Jr., April 17, 1946 - September 24, 2014

Service: 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3, at United Christian Parish of Reston, 11508 N Shore Dr.

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James Daniel Randall, Jr. was born in Charleston, West Virginia, on April 17, 1946. He was the first of two children born to the late James Daniel Randall, Sr., and Elsie Harris Randall. He is survived by his sister Mary Kathryn Randall.

James received his elementary school education at Boyd School through 4th grade; and, following integration, at Mercer Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Junior High School, and Charleston High School. While at Charleston High School James was on the track team. One of his proudest achievements was setting a state record which he held for several years. He graduated from Charleston High School in 1964 and in the fall of that year left home to attend Howard University in Washington, DC.

At Howard University, James majored in history, and indulged his love of the philosophy and classical literature. He also enjoyed an active social life. In 1966 he joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and began dating his future wife Peggy Chambers.

After graduating from Howard University in 1969, James joined the Urban Teacher Corps completing graduate level education courses at Catholic University while teaching in the District of Columbia Public Schools. He obtained a Masters of Arts in education from Catholic University in 1970 and taught history at Western High School until 1974. At Western he also coached the track team and in his last year, took Western’s outstanding 440 relay team to participate in the Penn Relays. He was honored that year as Western’s Coach of the Year.

James loved sports and during his early years as a teacher spent much of his summers playing tennis. The abundance of tennis courts and fellow tennis lovers drew him to Reston where he relocated with his family in 1982. His passion for tennis would continue through most of his adult life. He played on a local tennis team for several years. Unfortunately, his arthritic right hand kept him from playing in his later years.

After teaching in Washington, DC, for five years, James embarked on a career change. He attended law school at Georgetown University and, in 1977, graduated and was admitted to the District of Columbia bar. His first position as an attorney was with Neighborhood Legal Services. There he represented many tenants whose rental units were being converted to condominiums, and developed expertise in the District’s landlord tenant laws. He moved from Neighborhood Legal Services to the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. James advanced to the level of Section Chief in that Department before retiring from the DC Government in 1999.

1999 was the most difficult year in James’ life. That year he lost both his mother and his only son Jay (James Harris Randall). After these losses, life was never quite the same for James, but in the fall of 2000, he returned to his first love: teaching history. He taught history at McLean High School in Fairfax County for eleven years.

James read widely, and enjoyed a rousing debate on the issues of the day. He often had three or four books and The New Yorker magazine open on his night stand all at the same time. He watched Jeopardy every evening just to keep his mind sharp. His other hobby was horseracing. He often had two television and two computers going so he could keep up with racetracks around the country. During Triple Crown season, he received so many calls for advice on picking winners that he was sometimes referred to as the “family bookie.”

In 2008, based on his academic and career success, James received the Lifetime Achievement Award and entered the West Virginia All Black Schools Sports and Academic Hall of Fame.

During the last three years of his life James received much enjoyment from the time he spent with his grandchildren. Memories and stories about “Granddad” will be cherished forever by his family: wife Peggy; daughter Christin Dougherty; son-in-law Kevin Dougherty; grandchildren Erin, Maggie, and Christopher Dougherty; sister Mary Kathryn Randall;sister-in-law Alice Waldon; uncle Robert Harris; nieces and nephew Belinda Chambers, Lisa Wharton, and William Wharton; and ten great nieces and nephews.