Layton "Skip" Bray James

Layton “Skip” Bray James, of Hudson, WI, passed away on November 3, 2026 after a short illness with pancreatic cancer.

Skip was born in East Orange, NJ to parents Layton Hall James and Charlotte Bray James on March 2, 1941. The family made their home in South Orange, NJ where Skip attended public school, graduating from Columbia High School in 1959.

Displaying a gift for music at a very young age, he attended Helen Bender’s Summit School of Music weekly from age 4 to 17, which provided him training in music skills and frequent chances to attend concerts in New York City. His piano teacher from age 5 was Miss Tsuya Matsuki, a protégé of famed British pianist Dame Myra Hess. As a young boy, Skip was taken out of Sunday school to play the final hymn on the organ at First Presbyterian and Trinity Church in South Orange so the organist, William Pickett, could leave early for afternoon gigs. This arrangement went on for several months without his parents’ knowledge.

At the age of 11, he was hired by Bethany Baptist Church to be their organist and choirmaster. This was the beginning of many church positions throughout his life. Skip attended the College of Wooster in Wooster, OH, receiving his B.A. degree in 1963 with honors in Music and Religion. He served as organist at the Christian Science church during his freshman year, and then as organist and choir director at First Presbyterian Church of Wooster for the remainder of his college education. Skip was also a standout football player, earning the chance to play preseason with the Chicago Bears.

In 1966 He married Julie Holaday and they had two sons together. Also, during this time, he achieved an M.A. degree in Musicology from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY in 1967, and went on to pursue doctoral studies in Choral Conducting at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA (1967-68). At Cornell, his conducting skills were refined by being appointed Assistant Choirmaster of Sage Chapel Choir, as well as Assistant Conductor of the Cornell Glee Club and Chorus, under the Professor Thomas Sokol. Skip taught Music History and Music Appreciation during the 1967-68 academic year at the University of Hawaii. While there, he shared an office with Ralph Winkler, orchestra conductor and violinist, who left to join an upstart chamber orchestra in St. Paul, MN, which was organized by Ralph’s former violin teacher, Leopold Sipe. Ralph convince Sipe that Skip was the best equipped musician to play keyboards with this new orchestra and in 1969, Skip and his family were on their way to Minnesota, where he began a 42 year career as harpsichordist, pianist, organist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

During his long tenure with the SPCO, he invented the popular pre-concert lectures, became the only orchestra musician to conduct and to be commissioned to compose and arrange for the group. As an owner of a Steinway grand piano, Skip was awarded the title of Steinway Artist for his outstanding piano skills. Adding to Skip’s repertoire, he also served as a church musician at First Presbyterian in Stillwater, MN, Colonial Church of Edina, St. Luke’s Lutheran in St. Louis Park, MN and Bethel Lutheran Church in Hudson, WI.

Skip was a bit fanatical about fishing, particularly for trout with a fly rod in hand. He worked part time and taught advanced fly tying at Bob Mitchell’s Fly Shop in Lake Elmo, MN and became a published fly tier, as well as a founding member of Ki-Ap-Tu-Wi-sh Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Hudson. He later became the editor of its newsletter called RipRap. Other hobbies included cooking, writing and dealing with vintage fishing equipment on eBay. He served on the Board of Directors of his homeowners association and of the St. Croix Valley Opera. He was a volunteer at Help Source and a faithful Bible study participant of two groups at Bethel Lutheran.

Skip was known as a great conversationalist, teacher, musical genius, cook, renaissance man, expert in many subjects, and a friend to many.

Skip is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Watson James; infant granddaughter, Caitlyn James; and mother-in-law, Ruth Polz. He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Linda; his sons Evan (Anita) James of Virginia, and Matthew James of Colorado. Skip also is survived by stepchildren Ashley (J.R.) Deobald, Emily (Eddie) Wanat/Kochendorfer, and Jordan Wanat, all of Minneapolis. Additional survivors are grandsons, Kyle (Ashton) James and Brayden (Maddie) James, both of Ohio, and Kobe and Kameron Kochendorfer, Minneapolis; and great grandsons, Myles and Maverick James, Ohio.

As a faithful child of God, Skip was received into the arms of his savior, hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

“When I tread the verge of Jordan, make my anxious fears subside, Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction, land me safe on Canaan’s side, Songs of praises, songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee, I will ever give to Thee.” William Williams CWM Rhondda.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 20, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Bethel Lutheran Church (downtown) Hudson, WI. A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 19, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at O’Connell Funeral Home in Hudson, as well as one hour prior to the service at the church on November 20th.  

Services are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Hudson. For more information or to share a memory, please visit www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com or call 715-386-3725.