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ECONOMIDES, JAMES KIMON, DDS, MSD Age 79, passed from this earth to his heavenly home with his Lord Jesus Christ on December 8, 2014. Jim was born June 23, 1935 to his parents, Kimon and Era (Griffin) Economides in Alton, IL and spent his early years there. As his family grew, they lived for a short time in Glendale, CA before migrating to Albuquerque. He attended Jefferson Jr. High and was part of the first class to complete four years at the brand-new Highland High School where he met his high school sweetheart, Renee Lewis. He was a very talented, left-handed baseball player (acquiring the nickname "Lefty") playing for both Highland and American Legion baseball. He received a baseball scholarship to UNM and joined the SAE fraternity. He was an outstanding hitter and was the "Skyline" batting champion in 1956. During the summer he played semi - pro ball in Colorado and Kansas. He was inducted into the Lobo Hall of Fame in 2011. He and Renee married December 3, 1955, and the following summer he went to Marine PLC camp in Quantico, VA. After graduating from UNM in 1957, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the USMC, and he and Renee drove first to Quantico, VA and a month later went to Pensacola, FL where he went through flight training, flying many different aircrafts. After receiving his "wings", he was selected to fly helicopters. The next two years were spent in Santa Ana, CA where his first daughter, Lisa, was born. He spent about a month on a carrier, taking off and landing during the Laotian conflict. He was released from active duty in 1960 and moved back to Albuquerque where he became the PE coach at Hodgin Elementary for a couple of years. He built an obstacle course there (fashioned after his marine training) and took students hiking and camping. One summer he taught training for the "Peace Corps". His second daughter, Cheryl, was born in 1961. He took up the sport of "handball", the beginning of a lifetime endeavor. He decided to go to dental school at Baylor in Dallas and moved his family there for seven years until he completed his orthodontic training in 1972. Returning to Albuquerque he set up a practice in NE Albuquerque and began a very successful career as an excellent orthodontist, providing beautiful "smiles" for thousands of children and adults who called him "Dr. E.". He bought a plane and utilized his flying experience by flying his staff to the Zuni Indian Reservation to treat patients who could not travel to Albuquerque. In his free time he played a lot of handball, traveling around the US, Canada and Ireland, winning many National and World titles (his last one in 2010). He wrote numerous articles for the "Journal of Orthodontics" and spearheaded a team of doctors to develop a low-cost, portable 3-D imaging mammography machine. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Lisa Mullaney. He is survived by wife Renee; daughter Cheryl Armstrong and husband Rob; eight grandchildren: Jack Mullaney, Jamie (and fiance Josh Kopchick), Sean, Jessica, Josiah, Keri, Cheri and Danae Armstrong. He is also survived by sister Lana Ross and husband Charlie, brother Paul Economides and wife Mary, sister Katherine E. Preonas and husband Diamontis, sister-in-law Marcia Veatch and husband Floyd along with many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at FRENCH - Wyoming. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 18, 2014 at Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 8600 Academy NE, officiated by Rev. Don Wilson. A reception will immediately follow the funeral service and interment will take place at 2:30 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE with military honors provided by the United States Marine Corps. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Many thanks for all the prayers offered and outstanding care at "The Retreat", occupational therapist Melanie Tidman, at Canyon Rehabilitation Center, and nurse Todd Parker at St. Catherine's. Please visit our online guestbook for Jim at www.FrenchFunerals.com. FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
        Published on: Wed December 17, 2014