James Edward Fligg

James Edward Fligg, 85, of Naples, FL passed away Monday, May 9, 2022 at Naples Community Hospital with his wife and best friend, Martha, holding his hand. He had been suffering with Lewy Body Dementia for more than 6 years.

Jim was born on June 1, 1936 in Alexandria, Australia, just outside Sydney, to Florence and Henry Fligg with his grandparents living down the street. Education was so important to his mom that young Jim would take 3 trams to school each day, but weekends would find him surfing at Coogi Beach or enjoying his grandmother's apple pie while she taught him the value of business, lending him money that he had to pay back on a deadline.

Jim received his Bachelor of Science in Organic Chemistry from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and after graduation completed the Harvard Advanced Management program.  

In 1968, Jim joined the Amoco Corporation in Sydney where he held a variety of positions prior moving to the United States in 1975. In 1991, he was named President of Amoco Chemical Company before becoming Executive Vice President of Amoco Corporation, and in 1996, becoming Senior Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning and International Business Development.  He and Martha moved to London when he was named Executive Vice President for Merger Integration tasked with guiding the transition process for the combined BP Amoco organizations.  He retired in 1999 after 31 years.

Jim was the former Chairman of the Petrochemical Committee of the National Petroleum Refiners Associates and was on the executive committees of the Society of Chemical Industry and the Chemical Manufacturers Association. He was also a member of the American Petroleum Institute, the American Chemical Society, the American China Society, the National Committee on US-China Relations and Johns Hopkins University’s Hopkins-Nanjing Program.

Before beginning his illustrious career at Amoco, one of Jim's proudest accomplishments was playing Rugby for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, where he was able to play with some of his rugby idols.  His love of the game started as a boy when his father took him to games on Saturday afternoons and continued throughout his life.

In addition to his work, Jim could always be counted on to give of his time, talent and treasure to causes he cared about. While he was a Director for ChemFirst, Inc in Jackson Mississippi, he was most proud of his work on the Board of the National Merit Scholarship Society.  After he and Martha moved to Naples, Florida in 1999, he quickly became involved with community and nonprofit organizations.  He was a Lifetime Trustee of the Naples Children and Education Foundation (NCEF), founders of The Naples Winter Wine Festival, serving on its grant committee for many years.  He and Martha hosted numerous dinners and parties to support NCEF, as well as other organizations, including The Shelter for Abused Women and Children, The Immokalee Foundation, Artis Naples, and many more. He was a member of the Board of The Biltmore Condominium Association, served as chairman of the membership committee at Bay Colony Golf Club, was president of The Estates at Bay Colony and oversaw the first renovation of the Bay Colony Beach Club.

Jim was a devoted golfer, and in addition to Bay Colony, he was a member of Loch Lommond Golf Club in Luss, Argyll & Bute, Scotland for more than 10 years.  He was a true man’s man enjoying not only golf and rugby, but also hunting and fishing.  He and Martha were members of Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church and he was a former elder at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.

His survivors include his wife of 27 years, Martha Harris Fligg, daughters, Jennifer Mary Roberts of Noosa, Australia, Tracy Gabrielle Abbott and her husband, Jonathan of Sydney, Australia; his beloved grandchildren, Georgia Roberts, Kate Roberts and Jack Abbott; his Sister, Sylvia Hedger; his brother in law, Ray Hopkins; former spouse May Fligg; nieces Larissa Malouf (Ian), Donna Duggan, Tanya Hedger and their children; nephew Paul Hedger and his children and many friends.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Florence and Henry Fligg, his sister, Kathy Hopkins and his nephews Jerry Hopkins and Mark Hedger.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made in Jim’s name to :  Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic at www.mayoclinic.org/development or mailed to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, Minnesota 55905

Martha is grateful for the kind care she and Jim received during his more than four years at the Chateau at Moorings Park by the staff and his special caregiver, Jean Mericer.

A celebration of life to honor Jim will be held Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 11:30 am in the clubhouse at Bay Colony Golf Club, 9740 Bent Grass Bend, Naples, FL. There will also be a celebration of Jim's life in Sydney, Australia at a later date.