Orvil James, 90, died Sunday, May 17, 2009, at Texas County Memorial Hospital.
He was born July 28, 1918, in Plato, son of Michael and Ada Link.
He was self-employed most of his life, working in logging and hauling gravel. He loved life in Texas County and the Ozarks. He spent 18 months working on a farm on the Missouri-Iowa border when he and his wife, Faye, were first married. But he did not enjoy the cold winters.
He enjoyed farming, working with cattle, hogs, chickens and for many years kept a herd of more than 100 goats. He was an expert mechanic, carpenter, electrician and plumber. He loved nature and the outdoors, gardening and bird watching, especially Purple Martins. He constructed many birdhouses.
He enjoyed fixing items – lawn mowers, garden tillers, chain saws, farm tractors and more – for his neighbors.
He accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized in July 1948 at Rock Creek near Roby. He was a longtime member of Roby Christian Church. He loved attending church and church activities and continued as long as his health permitted.
He was preceded in death by his parents and stepfather, Arthur Elmore; three brothers, Hurley James, Herschel James and Bert James; and a son, Ronald James.
Survivors include his wife of the home in Roby; two sons, Mike James of Roby and Jim James of Fairview, Texas; and two grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Care. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.evansfh.com.
Services were Wednesday, May 20, at Roby Christian Church with Eugene Earp and David Ingalls officiating. Burial was in the Mt. Pisgah Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
