Alfred James

Funeral services for Alfred James will be held on Friday, June 29th, 2018 at 2:00pm at Reed-Culver Chapel with Pastor Jeff Thompson officiating. Interment will follow at Park Hill Cemetery where he will be laid to rest beside his mother. A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 28th, 2018 from 12:00pm until 6:00pm at Reed-Culver Funeral Home. Online Condolences may be left for the family at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Alfred include Robert Dodd, Paul Adair, Paul Adair Jr., Adam Adair, Walt Shamel and Gene Ogle.

Alfred James, son of Henry West James and Beatrice (McCuistion) James, was born on January 7th, 1937 on their farm about 13 miles south of Tahlequah in the Stone Chapel Communality, now known as Camp Gruber. Alfred attended school at Stone Chapel and Tahlequah High School. On June 8th, 1955, he married Joy Lee Pitts at the home of her minister, Archer C. Durrant of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Tahlequah. Alfred worked on pipe lines for General Corrosion Services in Sand Springs, OK for about 20 years. Later he operated his own logging business where he built his own saw mill. When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed good times and good fun with friends and family, playing games of all kinds, cards, dominoes, etc. He was known as the “Champ”. He hardly ever lost a game, but if he did it was because he “let” others win every now and then. He loved music, mostly gospel, blues, and old time rock-n-roll. He would often drive through the country side, watching the trees sway, enjoying nature, while listening to his favor tunes or stopping off for his favorite BBQ. He knew where all the best places were, beautiful hidden treasure of land he found during his long drives. Alfred married Patricia “Patsy” Gladys Tillison on May 1st, 2005 in Tahlequah, OK and resided south of Tahlequah in the Keys community. Patsy is a retired psychiatric technician and has two children, Trisha and Joseph of the home. Alfred and Patsy attended the Come and Dine Church as often as they could. It didn’t matter to them what they were doing, just as long as it was time with each other and their church family, even if it was just meeting up for coffee and dinner with friends. Alfred was called to his heavenly home on June 24th, 2018 in Tahlequah. He was 81 years old.

Alfred is preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Francis Henry James, Andrew Jay James, William Henry James, and Jesse Jr. James, two sisters, Gertrude “Trudy” (James) Cline and Vada (James) Cantrell, brother-in-law, Clifford Melvin Cantrell and one son, Samuel Todd James in 2017.

He is survived in death by his wife, Patricia “Patsy” James of the home and her children, Trisha and Joseph, two daughters, Sherrie Lee (James) Benningfield of Kellyville, OK, Cindy Ann (James) Stepp, one son, Randy Walker James and wife Donna Shamel of Tahlequah, OK and one sister, Mary Alice (James) Sampson. His legacy lives on through his three granddaughters, Leslie Beth (Hougland) Bell and Husband Mark of Tulsa, OK, Julie Ina (Hougland) Shamel and husband Walt James of Tahlequah, OK and Lorrie Faith (James) Merritt and her husband George of Pea Ridge, AR, one grandson, Gary Don Davis of Tahlequah, OK, great grandchildren, Jacob Adrian Stepp, Caleb Christopher Stepp, Amber Lee Beavers of Tennessee, Kelton James Shamel, Austin Merritt, Rylie Davis, and Hayden Davis and many other friend and family.