Samuel P. James

Samuel Pettus James II, age 76, of Bartow, Florida, went to be with the Lord on Friday, August 7, 2015, while residing at Grace Healthcare of Tucker in Tucker, Georgia. Sam was born on May 23, 1939, in Bartow to the late Elizabeth Crockett Oates James and the late Jack Pettus James. Sam was the salutatorian of the Summerlin Institute class of 1957, and he spoke proudly of his time on the high school football team. He attended the University of Florida and Erskine College. Following his graduation from Erskine in 1970, Sam taught school for a short time before moving with his family to Starkville, Mississippi, where he took graduate courses at Mississippi State University. Sam loved his family, the family farm in Bartow and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bartow. He laughed easily and often, brought happiness and joy to every person he met, never met a man or woman he didn’t like and truly enjoyed his time here on earth. For the last 7 years of his life Sam lived in Tucker, Georgia, where he moved to be closer to his surviving son, Matthew Leroy James, daughter-in-law, Alison Shanni James and grandchildren, Samuel Carnes James (11) and Josephine Elizabeth James (10) of Dunwoody, Georgia. Sam is also survived by his beloved brother, Jack Pettus James Jr., and his wife, Bet and their children, J.P. James & wife Jan, John James & wife Linda and Evelyn Greear & husband William, all of Bartow. He is also survived by his beloved sister, Martha Lee James Gibbons and her children Elizabeth Gibbons and Sam Bryan Gibbons, all of Tampa. Sam is survived by three great nieces and 3 great nephews all of Bartow. A memorial service will be held at the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bartow, 205 East Stanford Street at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, 2015. Contributions may be made to the Bartow Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1411, Bartow 33831. Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow, is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences to the family at www.whiddenmcleanfuneralhome.com