James Harvey Cross Jr.

James was born in St. Augustine, Florida on January 8, 1927 to James and Hattie Cross. His family moved to Tifton, Georgia in 1935 to work on his grandfather’s large farm growing watermelons and cantaloupes. They moved to Winter Haven in 1940. James was a Winter Haven Blue Devil football player and ran on the Track Team, he graduated from Winter Haven High School in 1945. He volunteered for the U.S. Army at the age of 18 and was sent overseas to France and was assigned to the 902 Combat Engineers Battalion as a GI replacement for the 1st Division of General Patton’s 3rd Army. He participated in the Liberation of France and the Occupation of Germany. He was discharged November 1946 and awarded 5 decorations. James helped raise over 50,000 dollars for the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. His son Albert and he were guests at the dedication ceremony in May 2005.

After the war he attended Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL and received BS degree in Business Law and Citrus Culture in 1951. He was a Theta Chi Fraternity Brother. He was a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner for the Egypt Temple Shrine. He was a member of the VFW American Legion and Elks Club.

He sold Life Insurance for Franklin Life-AIG Co. He also was a Realtor and sold many homes and commercial property in Polk County. He was President of the Board of Realtors in 1960. James was a Citrus grower and owned several orange and grapefruit groves in Florida. He was a long time member and Usher of First Baptist Church in Winter Haven where he married his wife of 57 years Betty K. Cross in 1963.

James loved the outdoors, swimming, playing tennis, boating, going to the beach and cruises. He loved driving his airboat and fishing in the Kissimmee River. He loved hunting in Alaska and out West. He loved animals and had many dogs, cats and horses. He was very outgoing and liked to be on the Go.

If you met James he was your friend for life, a very kind, generous person, always looking for ways to help others. He loved his family and enjoyed being Grandpa to 3 grandsons and 1 great grandson.

James was preceded in death by his wife Betty K. Cross; and survived by his daughter Julie Cross; his son and daughter in law Albert and Tiffany Cross; his son and daughter in law Michael and Ashley Coker of Mt. Pleasant, SC. His grandchildren William Albert Cross, Joshua Coker, Maxx Coker and great grandson Foxx Coker.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following:

First Baptist Church of Winter Haven 198 W. Central Ave. Winter Haven,

FL 33800

Or

Folds of Honor Foldsofhonor.org