Obituaries

James EliopoloConsulting Engineer

James Eliopolo, 82, founder of an engineering consulting firm based in Bethesda, died of sepsis June 2 at Rockville Nursing Home. He lived in Bethesda.

Mr. Eliopolo founded James Eliopolo and Associates in 1957 in Washington and later moved the firm to Bethesda. His business provided electrical and mechanical engineering services to government and private industry clients. He also offered expert-witness engineering and investigation, and testimony, in connection with litigation projects. He retired in 1985.

Active in several professional groups, Mr. Eliopolo served as president of the Consulting Engineers Council of Metropolitan Washington, president of the Washington Building Congress and chairman of the D.C. Board of Registration for Professional Engineers.

Mr. Eliopolo was born in Savannah, Ga., where as a young man he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with gold palm and was selected for membership in the Order of the Arrow. He was appointed assistant Scoutmaster at 15 and served as a summer counselor and bugler. In high school, he played football and basketball. He was a member of the state's ROTC band and was a solo clarinetist and glockenspiel player.

During World War II, Mr. Eliopolo served in the Army in the European and Pacific theaters and was awarded several military service medals. After the war, he graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

In 1950, Mr. Eliopolo moved to Washington and worked as an electrical engineer for C. Warren Bogan and Associates, an engineering consulting firm. After two years, he became chief electrical engineer.

He attended the University of Maryland's University College for paralegal studies and also studied business administration for real estate courses. He had a real estate license in Maryland, where he founded the firm of J.A.E. Real Estate, specializing in buyer-brokerage and consultation services in the Ocean City, Md., area.

His hobbies included bowling, jogging and golf. He was a member of the Kenwood Golf and Country Club since 1960 and served as chairman of the golf committee, the Kenwood board of governors and the Kenwood executive committee.

He was played a key role in the founding of the Maryland Interclub Seniors Golf Association. He was a member of the Georgia Tech Club of Washington and bowled with the Georgia Tech Club team in the intercollegiate alumni bowling league. He was captain of the team in 1964 when it won its only championship.

Mr. Eliopolo regularly attended Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Kathryn Pewitt Eliopolo of Bethesda; three children, John G. Eliopolo of Mount Holly, N.J., James J. Eliopolo of Rockville and Kathryn A. Gauditis of Los Angeles; a sister; and two grandchildren.