Arthur Dalton James

Dr. Arthur Dalton James, MD

Beloved Clemson Downs resident Dr. Arthur Dalton James passed away Sunday, August 16, 2026, at the age of 98 years old. Dalton was born in West Grove, Pennsylvania on June 30, 1928, to Arthur Edwin and Alma Davis James. Dalton attended Westtown School, a Quaker preparatory boarding school in West Chester that several members of his family also attended, including his father, sister, son, nephews and two grandsons. After graduating early from Juniata College, he attended Temple Medical School in Philadelphia, where his father was a chemistry professor on the pharmacy school faculty. While in medical school he volunteered in Darmstadt, Germany with the American Friends Service Committee. Dalton was always appreciative that Temple provided his medical training for free and very proud and pleased when he returned to Temple to participate in his granddaughter’s White Coat medical ceremony sixty seven years later.

In 1953, Dr. James joined the US Navy, where he served as a military medical officer aboard submarines as well as used his OB/GYN specialty to deliver babies when not at sea. During Dalton’s Naval career, he was stationed in Virginia, Connecticut, several locations in California and at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. He and his wife, Dr. Kathryn Williams, were married in Washington, DC in 1955 and tackled many unique and sometimes entertaining challenges raising three children during these years. Dalton enjoyed recounting his submarine, diving and military medical escapades for the rest of his life.
After retiring from the service in 1974, Dalton and family moved to Orinda, California, where he worked as medical director for family planning and prenatal care clinics for various Planned Parenthood affiliates and the Chinatown Health Center in San Francisco. At age 60 he was feted by his Chinese staff, who gave him all the honor due a venerable doctor who cared enough for his patients to learn several hundred medical-related words in Cantonese.

Dalton and wife Kay were active members of the Orinda Community Church for 35 years, where he formed lasting friendships and worked for years as the unofficial assistant handyman with lay colleagues from the church. He also applied these dubious handyman talents, along with financial assistance, to supporting the Holden School located within the church that provides a welcoming alternative education for students struggling in public schools.

Sixteen years ago, Dalton and Kay moved to Clemson Downs Retirement Community in South Carolina, where they were near their daughter and her family. Both Dalton and Kay served their new community on various committees and actively enjoyed the many social opportunities available, with Dalton especially remembered for his years of gardening and playing spirited and unorthodox bridge.

Dalton had enormous energy his whole life, working at backlog camp as a youth, canoeing and camping throughout the Pennsylvania region, then taking his love of the outdoors into the Sierras on countless winter snowshoeing and summer backpacking trips. In Hawaii he tramped the damp forests and even tried his luck at surfing. Fiercely competitive, he played tennis and ping pong into his mid-80s. He was an avid reader, devouring a wide range of fiction and nonfiction, with time carved out for reading his grandson’s on-line web fiction every week. He traveled the world alone and with Kay, traversing much of Nepal over a series of four treks, and visiting nearly 100 countries by car, train, bus, riverboat and passenger liner. He produced some 25 accounts of his annual exploits. His writings are a legacy of his life well lived.

Dalton also cherished his friendships and family. Everyone who knew him enjoyed his stories, smiles and antics, including the dear staff who cared for him at Clemson Downs and with Via Health Partners. He and his family will always appreciate the care his belated wife also received following her stroke and passing in 2024.

Dalton is survived by his three children and their spouses: son Edwin (Christie) James of Carson City, NV; son Alan James (Miriam Vriend) of Grand Rapids, MI; and daughter Debbie (Ron) Falta of Seneca, SC. Dalton was known as Grampy to his eight grandchildren: Aaron (Kara) James, Nathan James, Melissa (Andy) Carroll, Noah James, Daniel (Morgan) James, Lucas James, Sarah Falta and Lisa Falta. He was Great Grampy to Olivia, Emmett, Dalton, Dean, Esme and Vivian. He is also survived by his sister, Barbara Stonestrom.

A memorial service will be held at 10 am. on Friday, September 4 in the Corley Center at 150 Downs Blvd, Clemson SC.

Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Holden High School, 10 Irwin Way, Orinda, CA 94563 (Online donations can be made here: https://4agc.com/donation_pages/fe9ee292-6a79-4787-81b8-e4f555512610 or to the Clemson Downs Employees’ Christmas Fund, 500 Downs Loop, Clemson, SC 29631 (attention Dr. Barlow or Mr. Null or Employee Christmas Fund).