James A. Risser (1937-2001) 

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	James Arthur Risser, 64, of Denver, NC, formerly of Charlotte, died from cancer on Friday, May 18, 2001. Mr. Risser was born February 6, 1937, in Chicago, IL, to the late Ivan Henry and Pauline Woodside Risser. He was raised in Glenview, IL, and graduated from Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest, IL. He then enrolled at DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, where he met his future wife the first week of college. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha social fraternity and played rhythm guitar with the Lambda Chi combo. He and Virginia Louise Greenwald were married after college graduation on August 22, 1959, and they moved to Champagne, IL, where Jim received his engineering degree at the University of Illinois.
He then attended the U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, and Damage Control School in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Risser served as Damage Control Officer aboard the fleet oiler U.S.S. Kaskaskia and Engineering Officer on the landing ship transport U.S.S. Cheboygan County and achieved the rank of Lieutenant junior grade. Mr. Risser and his family returned to the Chicago area and in 1967 became the third-generation president of U.S. Bottlers Machinery Company, Inc., a packaging machinery company founded in 1912 by his grandfather, Arthur Ivan Risser. In 1980 he moved the company's headquarters to Charlotte, NC. Jim's passion for woodworking resulted in many heirlooms including furniture and toys that are treasured by his family. Mr. Risser's survivors include Gini, his wife of 42 years, their four children and spouses: Thomas and Daisy Risser of Waxhaw, Cynthia and Shepherd McKinley of Weddington, Timothy and Heidi Risser of Charlotte, and Jamie Risser and Jeremy Hammond of Asheville. Also, 7 grandchildren: Carson and Samuel Risser of Waxhaw, Cameron, Alec and Grace McKinley of Weddington, and Miranda and Nicholas Risser of Charlotte. Also he leaves 6 special fraternity brothers: Phillip Livengood, Larry Griffith, Lynn Snelson, Thomas Thornton, Gerald Gruber, and Bill McMains. A memorial service will be Tuesday, May 22, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. at Unity Presbyterian Church, 8210 Unity Church Road, Denver, NC (call 704-483-5266 for directions). Visitation in the Fellowship Hall will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 96911, Washington, DC, 20090-6911; the American Cancer Society, 500 East Morehead Street, Suite 211, Charlotte, NC 28202; or Unity Presbyterian Church, 8210 Unity Church Road, Denver, NC 28037. Mr. Risser received several patents for filling machines including the Sophistifil and the Weigh Scale Filler. He also designed his family's homes and renovated their Charlotte home on Cherokee Road. This project, with the assistance of his friend the late William Hill, took 8 years. He also rebuilt a sunken shrimp trawler into a little cruising ship. He and Gini also cruised aboard their larger boat traveling from Lake Erie to the Florida Keys and back to Charleston.