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James Oxnam
James W. Oxnam of Palm Beach, Florida, and East Hampton died on December 5, 2018, at Mt. Sinai Hospital after undergoing treatment for the sudden onset of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was 86 and remained healthy, active, and engaged almost to the very end. He was successful in two careers: advertising and real estate.
Known as “Jim,” Mr. Oxnam was the only child of Gordon Oxnam and Gertrude Hale Oxnam (also known as Laura Raisbeck), born in LaSalle, Illinois, approximately 100 miles southwest of Chicago. He attended LaSalle Academy and graduated from Drake University with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology. He also did work on a master’s degree in health care communication, and served as director of the Drug Information Center at the University of Illinois Hospitals.
Mr. Oxnam served in the United States Army for two years, from December 1954 to December 1956, stationed at Tripler Army Hospital in Oahu, Hawaii.
He ultimately pursued his interest in health care starting in 1966 in the burgeoning field of pharmaceutical advertising as an account executive at the L.W. Frohlich Agency in New York; then, for 13 years, in a position in the Professional Services Department of Roche Laboratories, a Division of HoffmannLaRoche. He was then offered a position as director of Professional and Educational Services at the Sudler & Hennessy agency. Before his retirement, Mr. Oxnam rose to executive vice president of Sudler & Hennessey, a division of Young & Rubicam.
He then sold real estate in the Hamptons during a successful second career that culminated at Brown Harris Stevens in East Hampton, where he was a treasured member of the sales team.
Mr. Oxnam was remarkably active in nonprofits in New York City, Palm Beach, and East Hampton. In New York, he was a founding member of the Associates for the Print Collection at the Museum of Modern Art. In Palm Beach, he was active in the Society of Four Arts. In East Hampton, he was a board member of the East Hampton Historical Society for many years and also served as the chairman of the committee responsible for the annual House and Garden Tour, a major fundraiser for the Society. At the 100th anniversary of the Amagansett Library, Mr. Oxnam served as the co-chair of the benefit celebration.
He was particularly interested in architecture, contemporary prints, and drawings—and loved to discuss interior decorating and local real estate.
Mr. Oxnam belonged to the Bath & Tennis Club in Palm Beach, the Union Club in Manhattan, and the Devon Yacht Club in Amagansett. He served on the board of Devon and was chairman of the admissions and house committees for many years. He had also been a Mason for more than 50 years and belonged to the Holland Lodge in Manhattan.
With his companion, Joan McGivern, also of Palm Beach and East Hampton, Mr. Oxnam was a fixture on the social, charitable, and philanthropic scene wherever he went, bringing goodwill and an infectious sense of humor to every gathering.
He is survived by his cousins, Charles Cinotto of Texas; David Cinotto of Texas, Jeffrey Cinotto of California; and Chelsea Clinton, Janelle Ballard, Erin Jackson, Cathy Marie Cinotto, and Gina Cinotto Burrell, all of Oklahoma City.
Funeral services are Saturday, December 15, at 11 a.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton.
Memorial donations may be made to the East Hampton Historical Society.
on Dec 10, 2018