Hubert "Jim" James' Obituary
In loving memory, Hubert "Jim" James passed away on Sept 9, 2021 of natural causes at age 96. A child of the Great Depression, Jim was born and raised in Fayetteville, NC as the sixth generation born in the Cumberland County, NC area. He was known as "Bozo" to his friends and family. Some of his ancestry include pre-Mayflower descendents in Virginia, who immigrated to the USA from Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England. Jim was raised and nurtured by his grandmother, Willie, who had been born during the most brutal year (1863) of the Civil War. Jim loved Willie dearly and credits her with keeping her large family fed and housed during the Depression. Jim graduated from Massey Hill High School and earned the honor of going to Boy's State when World War II broke out. Jim enlisted after graduation and served on Guam as an aircraft mechanic and supervisor of B-29 airplanes. He often said he "...was spared combat because I could type." After the war ended, Jim moved to Detroit, MI to join Ferguson Tractor Company in their accounting department. In Detroit, he met and married the love of his life, Beverly Westling. They were married for 63 years before her death in 2014. Through most of his life, Jim was self-employed and retired at age 55. A former resident of Mesquite, NV for 23 years, Jim had a passion for thoroughbred horse racing and poker playing. He made many friends with his vocal antics in the Sports Book of casinos in the area. Jim relocated to Orem, UT in 2020 to be cared for by family.
Husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Jim is survived by his only child, Jennfer James, granddaughters Jamie (Tanner) Haderlie, Jessica (Jim) Morgan, Johanna Taylor and great-grandson, James, all residing in the greater Salt Lake City area. There will be a private graveside service for family members, where he will be buried, with his wife, in the Utah Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Bluffdale, UT. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to CanterUSA.org,, an organization that rehabilitates and repurposes retired racehorses.
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