James Woolsey: key obituary facts
Is James Woolsey dead? Yes. James Woolsey died on July 21, 2026, at age 84.
Cause of death: James Woolsey's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was James Woolsey known for?
He was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician, former director of the CIA (born 1941).
More about James Woolsey
Born: 21 September 1941.
Place of birth: Tulsa.
Gender: male.
Occupation: lawyer, diplomat, politician, jurist.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Stanford University, St John's College, Central High School.
Employer: Central Intelligence Agency.
Awards: Rhodes Scholarship.
Also known as: R. James Woolsey, Robert James Woolsey, Robert James Woolsey, Jr., Jim Woolsey.
James Woolsey, the American lawyer who served as director of central intelligence from 1993 to 1995, died on July 21, 2026.
Born Robert James Woolsey Jr. on September 21, 1941, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he graduated from Tulsa Central High School, earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, and won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford.
Woolsey led the Central Intelligence Agency from February 5, 1993, to January 10, 1995, after holding a series of government posts in the 1970s and 1980s, including under secretary of the Navy from 1977 to 1979. His career also included work as a lawyer, venture capitalist and investor, and he served in senior roles in both Democratic and Republican administrations.