James Roland Edmonson

James Roland Edmonson, Sr. a resident of Morris, AL, was born in Fairfield, AL, on Nov 22, 1927 and passed away peacefully on March 31, 2017 at the age of 89. He graduated from Ensley High School, and he was a private first class in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII in the Panama Canal Zone.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Fay and Pauline Edmonson; his wife Gloria Endsley Edmonson; a brother, Raymond Carl Edmonson, and a sister, JoAnn Gray. He is survived by his son, James Roland Edmonson, Jr. (Pam); daughter, Donna Ruth Pridmore (Alan); brother, Billy Earl Edmonson (Carolyn); grandchildren, Erin Miller (Brandon), Emily Edmonson, Haley Allen (Bryan), and Ellen Edmonson; 5 great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Carolyn Endsley Cashion and Ruth Edmonson and a brother-in-law, Jerry Gray, nieces, nephews and a host of friends.

Within a few months of returning home from his service, he met and married the love of his life, Gloria, and they remained married for 63 years until her death in 2010. He worked most of his life in the Tin Mill at U.S. Steel, and he was also employed at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, KS, Hayes Aircraft in Birmingham and at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL, where he made the pattern for the Saturn V Rocket for Wernher Von Braun.

James was a member of the Prospect church of Christ in Cullman, AL, but in his later years attended the Gardendale church of Christ.

James learned to pilot small airplanes at the age of 16 at the Central Park Airport and he never lost the ability to fly basic aircraft, or his zeal for flying, and even flew a friend’s plane at age 84.

James was lovingly regarded by his children and their children as “PaPa.” He was a gracious, loving, dedicated family man who loved the Lord and looked forward to being with Him and his wife Gloria “GranGran”.

In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests donations be made to your choice of the Wounded Warrior Project, support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate, or to the St. Jude Children’s Research Center, www.stjude.org/Donate, in honor of his great granddaughter Kate Miller, who has battled Leukemia.

A visitation will be held at Ridout’s Gardendale Chapel on Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 from 6pm until 8pm with a graveside service at Elmwood Cemetery, Wednesday, April 5th, at 11:00am.

Arrangements under the direction of Ridout's Gardendale Chapel, Gardendale, AL.