James was born on May 14, 1934 in Bradley, Tennessee to William and Lola Cloer. James served for 30 years in the United States Navy where he rose to the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer. He served in the Korean War and did three tours in Vietnam, captaining a PT boat on the front lines. Throughout his career in the Navy he eared numerous medals, including the Good Conduct Medal (5), RVN Cross of Gallantry, Korean Service Medal, UN Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation as well as the Purple Heart which he refused to accept because there were many men injured much worse than he was. James had a passion for teaching and, after returning from Vietnam, taught for seven years at the Fleet Training Center at Mayport Naval Station.
James was married to Irman Cornelia “Connie” Conry on May 14, 1954. They raised one son, Jerry Ardell and one daughter, Jennie Lynn. James was a known for his wisdom, kindness, compassion and love to his family as well as strangers. It was not uncommon for his “men” who were stationed with him on various ships to drop in for a visit with the “Chief." James was preceded in death by his father, William, and his mother, Lola, brothers Sherdan and Paul and sister, Faye. He is survived by his wife Connie, his brothers Stan and Bobby, his sister Anna-Jean, his two children, Jerry and Jennie, his three grandchildren Jason, Larissa and Christa, and five great-grandchildren, Addison, Aspen, Haven, Voltaire and Tesla.
The Cloer family will be receiving friends for a Visitation on Friday, March 8, 2019 at Hardage-Giddens Chapel Hills Funeral Home 850 St. John's Bluff Rd N Jacksonville, FL 32225 from 12:30pm-1:30 pm. His Celebration of Life will follow at 1:30 pm. Interment will follow at Chapel Hills Memory Gardens at 3:00pm.
HARDAGE-GIDDENS CHAPEL HILLS, 850 Saint Johns Bluff Road North, Jacksonville, FL 32225, is serving the family.
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