James Whitman Agna Obituary
With heavy hearts, we announce the death of James Whitman Agna (Yellow Springs, Ohio), born in Troy, Ohio, who passed away on November 6, 2018 at the age of 92. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of James Whitman Agna to pay them a last tribute.
He is survived by: his parents, Ralph Whitman Agna and Mary Carmel Malone Agna; and his children, Gwen, Jacob, Mary Elizabeth (Molli) and Tom.
Harper quoted Jim, "I was a young physician with skills in medicine and public health, enthusiastic about helping these people improve their lives." "Speaking through an interpreter, Agna told the village elder, "If you eradicate malaria, you'll live longer." There was a pause after the interpreter told the old man what Agna had said, and then the reply: " He wants to know why you want to live longer." 'Agna laughs remembering the exchange.' Jim and Mary enjoyed a long retirement - theirs was a remarkable love and a devoted partnership. They traveled extensively - to Europe, back to SE Asia, to now Myanmar, to Cuba to observe its health care system, and all over the country to visit their children and grandchildren. Their dinner parties - most often with Mary's shrimp curry - were legion. Jim volunteered for the YS Senior Center as a driver as well as a Title I Reading teacher at the Mills Lawn Elementary School. He maintained an avid interest in politics, reading the NYTimes (paper version, reserved at the Emporium for him) every day including on the day he died. He was a voracious reader and longtime member of a men's book group. Jim had a lifelong love affair with jazz and passed along his love of music in all forms to his children. In spite of his strongly held social/political ideals, he was never humorless. He was self-deprecating and very funny. He enjoyed surrounding himself with friends who didn't take life seriously. His son, Tom, a comedian and comic writer, inherited his sage, often hilarious and always affectionate views on human behavior. Jim's professional and volunteer accomplishments were extraordinary. But by far his and Mary's greatest achievement, in their eyes, was their family. They all gathered for his 90th birthday on February 12, 2016 and for son, Tom's wedding in July 2018. He is survived by daughters Gwen Agna (Tom Marantz), Molli Diebold (Steve Diebold) and Brigitte Agna (Andrew LaCroix); sons Jake (Patty Tobias) and Tom (Puntita Jennikron - Jen) and grandchildren Nell Marantz (Alex Smith) and Kate Marantz, Eve Ackil (Dan Ackil) and Mae Agna, Chad Diebold, Paige Diebold Babb (Brian Babb), Faye and Jake Diebold, James Wasihun Agna LaCroix and Intharat Jennikron (Eton); great-grandchildren Esme Fielder Smith-Marantz, Lila Mae and Graham Faris Ackil and many dear friends. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are so very proud of his accomplishments and of being a part of his family. The family wishes to thank Dr. Donald Gronbeck, the staff at Greene Memorial Hospital and Soin Medical Center and at the Friend Care Rehab Center for their attentive and loving care during his brief decline. A special thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship End of Life Committee members, Al Schlueter, Donna Cottrell, Bobbi Treadwell, Greg Treadwell, Paul VanAusdal, Dave Turner for the comfort and support they provided Molli at the time of his passing. The family plans a celebration of the lives of Jim and Mary Agna on July 6, 2019 - details will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Kids on the Ball, 19 Lindenwood Drive, South Burlington, Vermont 05403 or Physicians for a National Health Program, 29 East Madison Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60602.
