James Warren Cairns, 84

August 26, 2015

James Warren Cairns, 84, of Lititz, formerly of Lancashire, England, left this earth on Wednesday, August 26th after a long battle with dementia. We pray he will now be at peace with his Lord. Jim was a loving husband to Thelma (Warren) Cairns, father of Nicola and grandfather to Christina and Chelsea. He was preceded in death by a precious son, Warren Simon Cairns.

He began a successful career at age 14 when due to high proficiency in mathematics, he was offered a 7-year apprenticeship at what is known as British Aerospace Corp. During this time he also attended the University of Lancashire where he was awarded a degree in Mechanical Engineering. On completion of his apprenticeship at age 21, he was required to join the British military for a period of 2 years and was shipped out to Egypt. There he worked at a British post in the desert, close to the Suez Canal. He was attached to a radio transmitting unit that sent and received messages between Britain and the world.

Returning to England he took a position with the aircraft corporation as a draftsman and design engineer. It was during this time he met and three years later married Thelma. Seven years and two children later Jim’s work was being noticed by his supervisors and he was the engineer chosen to sit in an office by himself for several months in order to design a structure in which the British half of the experimental Concorde supersonic aircraft would be built. France was given charge of the front section. The design was delivered on time and approved by a panel of senior members of the company. Shortly thereafter Jim was offered and accepted a 2-year contract to work at Boeing’s aircraft factory in Philadelphia which he accepted.

In the following years Jim was offered a position in R & D with two plastic companies and earned several patents for developing impermeable plastics for conveyor belts used in the food and drink industries. He retired in 1991 but then went on to be a consultant to the President of an Italian plastics company who desired to set up a division of his business in NC. The project was successful.

Family and friends will be received on Monday, August 31, 2015 from 4-5PM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 5PM at St. James Catholic Church, 505 Woodcrest Ave, Lititz, PA with Rev. James O’Blaney, C.Ss.R., as Celebrant. A gathering will be held at Pleasant View following the mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2595 Interstate Dr, Suite 100, Harrisburg, PA 17110.