Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

November 18, 2023

CHARLOTTE – James (Jim) Francis Westbrook, 83, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 18, 2023.  He was born on July 4, 1940, in Washington, DC to Hannah Moore Westbrook and Francis Lucas Westbrook.

Jim grew up the son of a Naval Captain in the Medical Service Corps.  Typical of most Navy families, Jim’s family moved frequently.  Prior to his departing for college, Jim lived in Maryland, North Carolina, California, Florida and Virginia.  He graduated in 1958 from Granby High School in Norfolk, VA and that same year he captured the Virginia Juniors Golf Champion title.   He attended the University of Miami on a golf scholarship, then eventually transferred to Old Dominium University in Norfolk, VA where he studied at ODU’s Strome College of Business.

After college, Jim followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the United States Navy Reserve in 1961.  Once in, his unit was deployed for active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was stationed on one of the many destroyers waiting to recover John Glenn after Glenn’s mission as the first man to orbit the Earth.  He became an All-Navy golfer, and during his time on the team, Navy beat Army for the first time ever.

After his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1964, Jim began his golf career as an Assistant Golf Professional in the Tennessee PGA Section.  That same year, he met Carol Welch on a blind date and they married a year later.  After a brief stint as an Assistant Professional at Waynesboro Country Club in Waynesboro, VA, Jim accepted the position of Head Golf Professional at Florence Country Club in Florence, SC.  Once Jim and Carol relocated to Florence, they adopted their daughter Julie in 1970.  In 1973, Jim accepted the position of Director of Golf at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, NC where he remained for 29 years until his retirement in 2002.

During his time at Carmel, he touched the lives of countless future experts in both the game and the business side of golf.  Through lifelong friendships and a shared passion for the game, Jim mentored over 20+ Assistant Golf Professionals during his time there.  He stated that having such an impact on the lives of his assistants and fellow golf lovers was his most rewarding achievement as a PGA Professional.

Jim’s mentorship of his assistants earned him the Carolinas PGA Bill Strausbaugh award in 1997.  In 1981 and 1991 he received the CPGA Private Merchandiser of the Year award and in 1986 he was voted the CPGA Golf Professional of the Year.  In 1981, the same year that he battled and survived a bout with cancer, he won the prestigious Carolinas Open golf tournament. Jim served the Carolinas PGA Section on various committees and was Treasurer and Secretary from 1978-79 and 1979-81 respectively.  Jim’s career as an expert teacher, player, leader, manager, merchandiser, and, most importantly, mentor, set a standard of excellence for all PGA Professionals.  In 2009, the Carolinas PGA recognized Jim’s outstanding career by inducting him into its Hall of Fame, the highest honor awarded to a Carolinas PGA Professional.

Jim is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carol Welch Westbrook of Charlotte; his daughter, Julia (Julie) Westbrook Hayes; grandson, Charles (Charlie) Westbrook Hayes of Sierra Madre, CA, and two sisters, Elizabeth Westbrook Lett of Norfolk, VA and Margaret Moore Westbrook and her husband, Worrall Reed Carter III of Greensboro, MD.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1001 Queens Road in Charlotte, NC.  The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the church.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, that memorials may be offered in memory of Jim to The First Tee of Greater Charlotte, 2661 Revolution Park Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208 or https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_dae88d19-cd3e-11eb-8a95-02bf22d030ab&WidgetId=3816449.  Junior Golf was always a passion of Jim’s.  He believed in not only passing on his knowledge of the golf swing, but more importantly instilling at a young age the lessons of character, integrity and camaraderie that the game of golf provides.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.