Histories

OUR FATHER
FRANCIS JACOB JAMES
EULOGY by George Francis James

Francis Jacob James was born December 26, 1907, the third child of 7 children born to
William Henry and Anna Elizabeth James. He was born in Ogden, Utah. The family lived in
Weber County until 1910 when they moved to Cache Valley, Utah. They lived in Millville,
Utah until 1913 then they moved to Hyrum, Utah. Daddy was 6 years old at that time. His
sisters have said he loved to joke and play pranks.

When he was 8 years old he was baptized and confirmed a Member of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. On November 22, 1920 he was ordained a Deacon in the
Aaronic Priesthood. Around the fall of 1921, he started high school. On November 12, 1923 he
was ordained a Teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood. He worked at various jobs to earn tuition
and money for books for school. 1924 turned out to be a bad year financially for a lot of
people, He could not earn enough money to stay in school, so he finished out his sophomore
year and left home at age 15 1/2 and went to Montana to work in the lumber mills. Work was
hard and food not too plentiful. When the Great Depression hit in 1929, any work that could be
found was saved for men with families. As my Dad was still single he found himself out of
work and having to bum for food or occasionally be able to work a few hours for a meal.

He worked his way to California and found things not much better. The U.S. Army was
taking applications for enlistments. About 1 in 50 would be able to get enlisted. Daddy was
lucky he was in good physical condition so served 3 years in the Army. Some of the first part
of his Army stint was served in Hawaii. Later he returned to the Presidio at San Francisco. It
was while stationed there that he met my mother, Alma Gebauer.

They were married September 18, 1932 in Reno, Nevada. 16 months later, January 1,
1934 my sister, Elizabeth Ida James was born. Sometime after his Army discharge Daddy went
to work as a stevedore for awhile, then he went to work for his uncle, Peter Lammers, at his
uncle's cabinet shop in Oakland, Calif. My parents moved to Oakland where I was born on
December 29, 1935. Prior to this they bought a new 1935 Plymouth for $600. It lasted them
for about 200,000 miles and 18 years.

The earliest recollection I have is when I was bout 2 years old walking to the grocery
store with my Mother in Oakland. About a year later my father purchased an old home to tear
down somewhere around Crockett, Calif. He bought an old Model T truck to move our
belongings and I remember riding in it with him to Crockett. Daddy then went to work for C &
H Sugar Co. in Crockett. He bought some empty lots in Rodeo, Calif. and built a home for us
from the used lumber of the old house he was tearing down. The house is well constructed and
is still there in Rodeo. Prior to finishing the home we moved into a friend's home, Miss Lena
Weise in Rodeo. She lived about two blocks from our house. As soon as my Dad got it
finished enough to move into, we did.

He used to call himself a Jack of All Trades and Master of None. He could do about
anything with his hands that he set his mind on to do. He was an excellent cabinet maker and
carpenter, plumber, electrician, cement man, brick and stone mason, roofer, tile and linoleum
layer, small appliance repairman, and mechanic.

He loved picnics and we often went on picnics on a weekend. Mama always has
enjoyed cooking too and we would have people over for Sunday dinners. If we put Matthew
25:: 34-40 in its right perspective I'm sure we had the Savior in our home many times. Before
World War II began, there were still a lot of men out of work. As they came through Rodeo
they could always get something to eat at our house, and I'm sure it was "marked" as the hobo's
term it. Daddy always remembered the hard times he went through and was always generous
with what the Savior had blessed him with. Men came to my father hungry and he gave them
meat; thirsty and he gave them drink; strangers and he took them in; naked and he clothed
them. He visited those who were sick and in prison. He will probably be surprised when the
Savior tells him, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you. In as
much as ye have done this to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Daddy
always had the knack of making friends of total strangers, this attribute has been passed on to
my sister, Elizabeth.

On August 3, 1941, our home was blessed with the birth of my sister, Carol Alma
James. There was no hospital in Rodeo so she was born in Richmond, Calif. Certain memories
impress children and I remember Daddy making a celebration treat for Elizabeth and I. He
took the cream off the milk and made us homemade ice cream.

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Just a short time before that,
Daddy had gone back to work as a stevedore. All during the war we didn't see him very much.
He worked long hours and mostly night shifts. He was also trying to build a duplex next door
to us for a rental. By the war's end he had developed back trouble that plagued him the rest of
his life. In 1947 the doctors, having been unable to help him, suggested he move to a warmer
climate. He sold our property and purchased an apartment house, grocery store building, and 3
houses in Paso Robles, Calif. Daddy always liked to work hard but there was always more
work than he could ever get done. The apartment house always needed repairs. He tore down
the worst house and built one for us. We lived in the largest apartment until then.

Daddy always liked to joke and tease, especially females. Elizabeth used to get
embarrassed because daddy would tease her girlfriends when they came over. In 1953
Elizabeth met Jon Williamson and they were married May 3, 1953. Daddy and my uncles had a
ball decorating up Jon's car. They were just a bunch of kids in adult bodies. I met and Married
Della Marie Zerkle in 1957. We were married September 14, 1957. In 1959 Carol went to
Humboldt State College. While attending there, Carol met William Wesley Davis. They were
wed August 19, 1961.

Daddy's back continued to bother him more, along with increasing problems with
renters. In May of 1966 he sold the property in Paso Robles and with Bill and Carol purchased
a duplex in San Jose, Calif. where they have resided until this time.

One of Daddy's attributes was patience. He could take a clock completely apart and
stick with the job of reassembling it until it was done. He liked to work and will be happy to
find that in the spirit world there is work to do. Though his body lies here before us lifeless, his
spirit lives on the other side of this veil we call death. Daddy also liked all kinds of games and
puzzles. He enjoyed playing cards, especially pinochle. He always liked building things too.
He didn't complain much even though he was in a lot of pain the last several years from
different aff1ictions.

He is survived by his wife, Alma James of San Jose; three children, Elizabeth
Williamson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, George James of Bakersfield, Calif., and Carol
Davis of San Jose, Calif.; two sisters, Vinetta Ormond of Ogden, Utah, and Mabel Bingelli of
Logan, Utah; two brothers, Ernest James of Hayward, Calif. and Wayne James of Bountiful,
Utah. Also 16 grandchildren survive him and 2 great grandchildren.

In behalf of the family, we thank you for your attendance here today and ask you to
come by our house after the services.