Lang, James Robert

James Robert Lang, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, and child of God, died on August 1, 2023. Jim was born in Pottsville, PA on May 1, 1941, to Henry and Permilla Lang.

He earned his bachelor’s degree at Penn State University on an ROTC scholarship and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for several years after his graduation. Following his military service, he obtained his masters’ degree at Northeastern University and his Ph.D. in Business at the University of Massachusetts. Beginning in 1976, Jim was a professor of Business, first at the University of Kentucky and then at Virginia Tech, where he co-founded and was inaugural director of the Business Leadership Center. He retired with Emeritus status in 2011.

Jim met Lois Daubert on a blind date while at Penn State. She became the love of his life. They married in 1964 and were devoted to one another through 59 years of marriage. They had two daughters and four grandchildren, of whom Jim was very proud. Jim was an avid learner, traveler, reader, musician, and artist. He was gracious, kind, and ever thoughtful of others, yet saw humor in nearly every situation. He made you want to be a better person. Above all, he was passionate about his faith and served his church with dedication throughout his life. We celebrate his life and are grateful for the time we had with him.

Surviving are Lois Lang (wife); daughter Jennifer Lloyd and granddaughter Eleanor; daughter Alison Barton, son-in-law Ben Barton, and grandchildren Nathaniel, Juliet, and James. A memorial service at Luther Memorial is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lang-Daubert Scholarship Fund (#860643) at Virginia Tech, or to Luther Memorial Lutheran Church’s (Blacksburg) Music Ministry fund.