James Rodney Schlesinger was born Feb. 15, 1929, in New York City, where he graduated from the exclusive Horace Mann School. He received a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University in 1950 and a master's degree and doctorate in economics from Harvard in 1952 and 1956, respectively. At Harvard, he met Rachel Mellinger whom he married at her family farm in Springfield, Ohio, in 1954.

James Rodney Schlesinger is interred at Ferncliff Cemetery in Section E, next to his wife Rachel.

Dr. Schlesinger became a professor of economics at the University of Virginia, followed by six years at the Rand Corporation. In 1969, he joined the Nixon White House staff as deputy director of the Bureau of the Budget, then Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1971, and later served as Director of the CIA.

He was best known for serving as Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1975 under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He later served as the nation's first Secretary of Energy until 1979. Over the next 35 years, Dr. Schlesinger would serve on numerous high level government commissions, task forces, and advisory panels.

At the time of his death he was Chairman of the MITRE Corporation, a trustee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a member of the Defense Policy Board, and a trustee of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation. Throughout his life he supported hundreds of charities, including many birding organizations, as he was an avid
birder.

He died on March 27. 2014 due to complications from pneumonia.