He was born in Mt. Vernon, IL, on March 17, 1949, the son of Reuben and Dorthea (Johnson) Walker. James married Jowanna James on June 15, 1968, in Mt. Vernon.
Jim earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University and worked as an auditor for the State of Illinois for over 30 years. He was a devoted member of Central Baptist Church for over 45 years and enjoyed volunteering his time at Graham Elementary School Library. He loved spending time with his family and attending his grandchildren’s extracurricular activities. Jim loved his dog, Lucy, who was a faithful companion and was loved greatly by his many friends. Jim was an avid Cardinals and Illini fan and will be deeply missed by all.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Jowanna; and two grandchildren, Isabelle and Jackson.
James is survived by his daughters, Suzanne (Sean) Bartlett, Stephanie (Tim) Beam, and Hilary (Dale) Bush; grandchildren, Mike, Mackenzie, Jacob, Taylor, Madi, Morgan, Dan, Beau, Levi, and Elliott; sister, Sandra (Dallas) Blakley; niece, Belinda Adelman; nephew, Derek Blakley; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Visitation: Family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025, at Butler Funeral Home- Springfield, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. The family invites you to wear your favorite St. Louis Cardinals attire or Cardinal Red.
Funeral Ceremony: 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at Central Baptist Church, 504 S. 4th Street, Springfield, with Pastor Tony Stang officiating.
Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Central Baptist Church.
