James Alvin Carr Sr.

James attended Kavanaugh Elementary School in East Palo Alto, and later attended Menlo Atherton High School in Atherton. As a young man James took up skeet shooting and developed a love for basketball. After high school James became a Sheet Metal Worker, where he worked for the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local #104 for 35 years.

During his early adulthood, James played basketball in a local recreational league and was a member of A.B.L.E. basketball team. It was during his time in this basketball league where he met his wife Vickie Lynn Simon. Every year he would look forward to the A.B.L.E. Reunion.

On October 20, 1990, James and Vickie married, and from that union two years later their first child was born, James Alvin Carr Jr. Being the devoted husband and loving father, shortly after the birth of their first child James and Vickie decided to share their love, and became foster parents to Senque Jermaine Carey.

Known for his love of barbecuing, James was lovingly known throughout the community as the barbecue man. Not only did he love to barbecue, he also enjoyed building barbecue pits for other people. Whenever James lit his barbecue pit, the whole neighborhood could smell the aroma of meat that he had placed on the grill. Not only did he love cooking , he also loved sharing his cooking with others. Along with barbecuing James loved mentoring, and took any opportunity to part his wisdom on anyone who wanted advice. James also enjoyed bowling, and participated in many bowling leagues throughout the years. He was a very kind, loving and giving person, who never asked for anything in return.

On May 21, 2015 our Lord and Savior called James home. James leaves to mourn, his wife Vickie Carr of East Palo Alto, CA., two sons James Carr Jr. of East Palo Alto, CA., and Senque Carey of East Palo Alto, CA., two brothers Arnett Carr Jr of Muskogee, OK and Rodger (Cynthia) Carr of San Diego, CA., two sisters Sheila Webster of Menlo Park, CA., and Barbie Carr of Ellenwood, GA., three sister-in-laws Marian (Mark) Cook of Hawthorne, CA., Jacqueline (Warren) Chambers of Hawthorne, CA., and Rosina (Leon) Brown of Inglewood, CA., three brother-in-laws Eric Simon of Los Angeles, CA., Edward Simon III of Inglewood, CA., and Ronald Simon of Houston, TX, two granddaughters Indira and Naiya Carey both of Seattle, WA., one goddaughter Breanna Powell of Inglewood, CA., a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.