Friends and family of Dad: 

Thank you so much for your support, especially over these past few weeks.  While we've felt as if we'll never adjust to this new normal without Dad, we're spending a lot of time as a family and that's helping somewhat.  

Dad's obituary was published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press today, and can be found here: http://m.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000315418/?fullname=james-richard-jim-ullyot

Because Dad lived such an incredible life, it was hard to sum everything up in a short blurb, so I've added his long-form obituary that we wrote as well (written by my uncle Dan, edited by my sister Lindsay and me):

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James Richard “Jim” Ullyot, long-time resident of Minneapolis, businessman, author, world traveler, teacher, and beloved community leader passed away peacefully from lung cancer, surrounded by family, age 79 on June 20, 2019.  

Born in St. Paul to Lloyd and Agnes Ullyot, Jim grew up in St. Paul and attended Murray High School, graduating in 1958.  An accomplished athlete, Jim was a T-formation quarterback at Murray in the late 1950s and was dubbed “the magician” by local sports writers.  He was recruited by a number of college football powerhouses, including Oklahoma, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Michigan, among others.  He opted to attend Harvard College, and played as a quarterback his freshman year.  After sustaining a career-ending football injury, he became the sports editor for The Harvard Crimson, his student newspaper, putting his writing talents to good use as an English major.

Jim excelled in academics, and upon graduating from Harvard College in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts, Jim was awarded a travel scholarship sponsored by the Corning Glass Company, through which he visited 40 countries in a year representing the United States and documenting his experiences.  During his travels, he carried letters of introduction to U.S. Embassies from President John F. Kennedy.  Jim had countless fascinating stories of his year abroad, including a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of India.

Jim then attended Harvard Business School, graduating in 1966.  As beloved class historian for his the HBS class of ’66, Jim wrote and published Something More Than Money-Makers: The Harvard Business School Class of 1966 in for his HBS 50th reunion.

After Business School, Jim served in the US Marine Corps, attaining rank of Sergeant and serving a number of years in the Navy Reserve.  In 1972, he published Moneymaking In The Twin Cities, the story of the Twin Cities’ over-the-counter marketplace in the late 1950s and1960s.  He made a career as an entrepreneur in the computer electronics and technology services business, founding two Minnesota-based companies: Exchange Data, where he served as President from 1985-1991, and Creative Communications, Inc., where he was Chair from 1992-2012.  In his later years, he taught college-level classes in economics, global business, and management at the College of St. Catherine, St. Mary’s, and The Art Institutes International Minnesota.

Ever faithful to his alma mater, Jim served as President of the Harvard Club of Minnesota and eventually President of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) in 2004, representing all Harvard alumni and presiding over Commencement exercises.  He received the HAA Award in 1999 for initiating the HAA’s transition online during the early days of the internet (Source: “HAA Leader Seeks Global Outreach” Harvard Magazine, Sep-Oct 2004; URL: https://harvardmagazine.com/2004/09/haa-leader-seeks-global.html). 

Jim was a kind-hearted leader who gave back to his community generously and relentlessly.  In addition to his contributions to Harvard, he was President of the Minneapolis Rotary Club, receiving the Merle Else Heart of Rotary Award in 1996 for his leadership.  He served on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Council on Economic Education.  He was an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church, and led and contributed to many other local organizations. 

Jim was a family man and was known among his extended family as the glue that held everyone together, helping organize family reunions and having an uncanny ability to remember everyone’s names.  He is survived by his wife Cheryl, brother Dan, son Jim, daughters Elizabeth (Michael Borneke) and Lindsay, and grandchildren Ashley, Annie, and Reece.  

Jim was the kind of person who treated everyone with kindness and respect no matter who they were.  When he talked to you, he had the ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He loved his family, friends, colleagues, and students, and was, in turn, beloved by all who knew him.

Memorial service will be Saturday, July 13 at Westminster Presbyterian Church (1200 S. Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403) at 10:00 AM, followed by a light lunch reception.  In lieu of flowers, donations to Westminster Presbyterian Church or Harvard University are appreciated.
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While his accomplishments are many, it's his character that made him special, as you all know. 

Thanks again for posting all your anecdotes about Dad - he continues to live on through those wonderful stories, and through the many people he's influenced. 

Love,
Elizabeth Ullyot & Family