James was born in New Edinburg, Arkansas. James was a smart man. He would tell people, “I don’t have an education. I grew up in Mississippi working the cotton fields picking cotton.” He had only an early elementary school education.

He drove a city bus in Houston for about 27 years.

James then went to work for The Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Houston. He started in the key room. They had real keys back then. People at the Hyatt soon learned James had many skills. He could fix most anything. The bosses would even sometimes give James their car keys and have him take their vehicle to be repaired. About 15 years into his career with The Hyatt, they implemented some type of computer/Palm Pilot technology that all employees were required to use. James told his boss, “I’ll be quitting. I don’t know how to use that stuff.” The bosses said, “NO! We’ll work around it for you, you are too valuable to lose.” And they did. He wanted to complete 30 years with The Hyatt but, his beloved wife, Doris, was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2010. By the fall of 2012 she needed full time care, so he retired. James lived his marriage vows, “… for better or for worse, in sickness and in health …” Dinkie said, “A Registered Nurse could not have given my mother better care. He just knew every step of the way what was best for her and he did it. I believe this was God granting James grace and wisdom as it was needed.”

James enjoyed living. He went about his days humming and whistling. Doris would tell him, “No whistling in the house!”

James and Doris loved to travel and loved to share their travel experiences. They loved taking their grandchildren and great grandchildren with them. How many people would let their 16-year-old grandson drive up Pikes’ Pike? (That was Smokey).

James fought cancer with all he had. He would say, “I’m not quitting. I have a lot of living still to do.”