James Edgar Wyatt

Marine Sgt. James Edgar Wyatt, 98, was reassigned to Heaven on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Service and courage are things he knew a lot about. He was trapped in Korea with the few that were left of the 1st Marine Division at the Chosin Reservoir. They were fighting against an enemy who wanted not only to damage them, but to obliterate every one of them from the face of the earth. He survived, though, through luck, perseverance and most of all, through the grace of God. He is our hero; but heroes are not just the ones who survive. They are the ones who try. These soldiers were all heroes.

James was born on November 3, 1927, in Birmingham, AL, to Mary Hinson Wyatt and Edgar P. Wyatt. He had two sisters, Joy and Jackie. He married Mildred Powell on July 31, 1950. They had one daughter, Julie.

James attended West End High School, where he first noticed Mildred when she portrayed the Statue of Liberty at one of renowned Harrison Park Director Margaret Tingle's many events.

They had planned to marry later, but he was called into action during the Korean War, and plans were quickly moved forward by James and Mildred and their dear friends and relatives.

James was a loyal 32-year employee of what was then the South Central Bell Telephone Company, starting as a pole climber/installer with a wire crew and retiring in 1985 as a state jobs inspector. He was also a proud member of both the Kelly Ingram Post 668 of the Birmingham VFW and the Krulak Marine Alliance of Alabama (KMAA). He enjoyed attending Riverchase United Methodist Church.

With growing concern over a lack of fire protection and emergency services, he and other members of the then "Indian Springs Civic Club" canvassed the area and helped to establish the North Shelby Fire District in 1978, later serving as its president.

After retiring from the phone company, he turned his attention to the protection of the Indian Springs area from the impending encroachment of Birmingham, Hoover and Pelham. He, along with the leg work and guidance of some brilliant and determined homeowners in the area, developed and sold the concept of becoming the deciders of our own destiny, of becoming an actual town called "Indian Springs Village" in 1990. He served as the first Assistant Town Clerk and member of the beloved volunteer "Pothole Crew", a fun-loving group of 4 retired men who took it upon themselves to patrol the roads of the town periodically, ready with shovels and sacks of pothole filler in the back of one of their pickups. This was a much-needed money-saver for the new town at the time. They also constructed the town's first BBQ Pavilion, as well as preparing and serving BBQ for the July 4th picnics for several years.

James became a resident of the Col. Robert L. Howard Veterans Home in Pell City for the last 2 years of his life. Julie and Russell wish to thank the wonderful and incredibly caring nurses and aides of Victory Way Hall in Skilled Care for their unwavering patience and attention to him and his needs. CRLH is an outstanding Veteran's facility, and James was blessed to be among the many wonderful veterans who reside there.

James Wyatt did 3 smart things in his life: 1) He married Mildred. 2) He bought a piece of property in Shelby County, at Mildred's urging. 3) He realized that this small area called "Indian Springs" was worth protecting. For these things, his family is eternally grateful. His wife, Mildred, preceded him in death in January of 2015. He is survived by his daughter, Julie, and her husband, Russell Schenk and his beloved cat, Purrvis.

A visitation will be held on Monday, December 22 at Southern Heritage Funeral Home from 10:00 am to 10:30 am, followed by a chapel service at 10:30 am. A brief committal with military honors will take place at Elmwood Cemetery immediately following the chapel service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made on behalf of Mr. Wyatt to: Col. Robert L Howard Veterans Home, 7054 Veterans Parkway, Pell City, AL 35125 (Attn: Hiliary Hardwick) or Missing Link Animal Rescue, P O Box 815, Gardendale, AL 35071.