“Along life’s path we are all privileged on occasion to know a truly unique individual, a person who fits into no mold and is not burdened by the hobgoblin of conformity. Such an
individual has shared our table for the past three years in the person of James Renfrew, philosopher, pianist, writer, war veteran, public servant, world traveler – gracious, eloquent, witty and a curmudgeon – a true Renaissance Man.” – Resolution passed by the State Bar Board of Commissioners for Oakland County

It’s virtually impossible to sum up the life of Oxford resident James Renfrew in one article because he accomplished so many things, visited so many places and touched so many lives.
Although he passed away June 30, 2003 at the age of 79, Renfrew’s legacy will live on forever in the hearts and minds of the people he met, the letters he wrote and the ideals he stood for.
“How do you describe a man like that?,” said his wife of 40 years and “center of his personal universe,” Alicia Renfrew. “He was really a Renaissance man.”
A barrister by profession for 45 years, Renfrew brought a sense of honor, truth, integrity and fairness to a field often viewed with scorn in today’s society.
“As a lawyer, he was unique by today’s standards,” said brother-in-law Edmund Campbell, Jr.
Many years ago a woman approached Renfrew wishing to divorce her husband of 17 years.
After listening to her plea, Renfrew refused to take the case and instead told her to go home and “straighten things out” with her husband.
That woman and her husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.
“She later said it was the best thing (Renfrew) ever did for us,” said Renfrew’s sister Elizabeth Campbell.
A great believer in personal responsibility, when potential clients would seek his representation in slip and fall cases, Campbell said Renfrew would respond, “You don’t need a lawyer, you just need to get over it and on with your life, instead of suing somebody for your own stupidity.”
“He literally turned down more cases than he accepted,” Campbell said.
Renfrew, who also served as a Justice of the Peace in Huntington Woods, “treated the law with special reverence” and “insisted that lawyers and judges be totally truthful.”
“He taught that without truth, there can be no objective process for making decisions,” Campbell said. “Lawyers were to represent truth and to adhere faithfully to the freedoms guaranteed by our national Constitution.”
Oxford resident Chris Hoard, who worked as Renfrew’s secretary for 10 years, said, “Jim could be a little old-fashioned at times, but never waivered in his ethics or belief that the law was an honorable profession. He proved it every day during his long career.”
Renfrew served as an elected member of the State Bar Board of Commissioners for Oakland County for only one term (1974-77). He didn’t seek re-election because of his principles.
“He believed nobody should occupy the same office twice,” Alicia said. “In anything he did, it was only once because he said we must give other people a chance to participate.”
Renfrew’s strong sense of morality and ethics was derived from his intense study of religion.
Although he didn’t attend an organized church on a regular basis, he held a strong belief in God and read many books from the major faiths including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Baihi, Hinduism and Buddhism.
“Jim completely read the Bible, twice through, from cover to cover,” Campbell said. “Jim developed those qualities for which all faiths strive: compassion, understanding, dedication, reliability and discipline.”
Alicia said her late husband was closely affiliated with the Baihi faith because it “recognized all religions.”
“He was quite taken by the fact that one religion could accept all religions,” Alicia said.
Renfrew’s love of the variety of life extended beyond religion to the many peoples, cultures and countries of the world.
“He was quite an international fellow,” Alicia said.
His world travels began as a boy visiting his family in the United Kingdom (he was of Scottish descent) and continued in World War II serving as a navigator aboard the U.S.S. Honolulu, which was eventually sunk by the Japanese.
In addition to studying and reading about many nations, he and his wife visited every South American country (except Ecuador), most of Europe, Egypt and China.
However, his favorite country was Nicaragua, Alicia’s native country.
“He loved Nicaragua tremendously,” Alicia said. “He was a marvelous husband. He always respected my culture and my language.”
Renfrew gave a lot back to the country that gave him his lovely bride.
During the Christmas holiday in 1967, the couple flew to the Central American nation after a severe earthquake devastated it.
“Not only did they assist members of Alicia’s family with the recovery process, but they were also instrumental in obtaining food and shelter for others in need when the opportunity arose. They initiated the reconstruction of a school that was destroyed. As they left on that mission, Jim was asked when they would return. His answer was, ‘when my money runs out.’ He literally spent all of his liquid assets on that mission, to the extent that he confessed to friends that ‘financially, I am starting over from the beginning,” Campbell said.
Renfrew was also instrumental in getting a school built for a small Nicaraguan city.
“After a half-a-year of bombarding the (Nicaraguan) president with personal letters (about the need for a school), they built a school there,” Alicia said.
Renfrew was as charitable and helpful at home as he was abroad.
A fierce proponent of education, Renfrew setup the Stanton Foundation and served as its secretary/treasurer for the past seven years. The Stanton Foundation donates scholarship money to Oxford and Lake Orion high school students.
“Mr. (Bill) Stanton trusted him all the way,” Alicia said. “He said, ‘Jim, you do it. You establish it. You run it.’ He practically was the Stanton Foundation.”
“When it came to education, he always like to encourage and help young people,” Alicia added.
Alicia said her husband was also an “active member” of the Northeast Oakland Historical Society and contributor to the Orion Art Center and Oxford Public Library Friends.
“Mr. Renfrew helped our organization through some legal difficulties a few years back with some wise and free advice,” said OPLF President Connie Miller. “Even after his wife and he could no longer attend our functions, they were always very supportive. This group has lost a true friend.”
An accomplished pianist who memorized every note and could tell when a performer missed one, Renfrew helped found the South Oakland Symphony Orchestra and served as president for one term.
He was also a guest performer for the orchestra.
This reporter had the opportunity to speak with Renfrew a few times in 1999 and 2000.
Primarily we discussed local politics and our mutual admiration of the18th century Irish statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke.
Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
James Renfrew was a good man.
The world is a poorer place without him, but a richer place because he was here.
And perhaps that’s all that really needs to be said.