Obituary for Ronald Lynn James
Greer Funeral Home
JAMES
Ronald Lynn James, age 78, of Granite, passed away peacefully on November 23, 2016 after spending his past days surrounded by his family.
Ronnie was born on April 22, 1938, in Eldorado, Oklahoma to Milton Edward and Vivian Odella (Mefford) James. After graduating from Gould High School in 1956, he married the love of his life Barbara Kay Dill of Hollis on October 26, 1962, in Hollis. He attended Cameron College in Lawton and Southwestern State College, in Weatherford, and then lived a short time in the Arnett Community while he taught school at Arnett and became for the first time a parent to a baby boy. Moving to Cedar Falls, Iowa, Barbara and Ronnie attended Northern Iowa University and then moved to Los Angeles, California for three years where Ronnie was a teacher and where a baby girl joined the family. In 1968, they returned to Oklahoma and began a new life in Granite where he worked as the high school principal and teacher and where the family was completed with the birth of two more baby boys.
Ronnie continued his life of public service when he began working for the State Department of Corrections in the early 70s, and later worked as a vocational rehab counselor. In later years, Ronnie held several jobs including making a brief return to teaching, and later teaching and counseling inmates at the Sayre prison, a position he loved. Ronnie also served as City Judge in Granite for a time in the early 2000s.
Ronnie's favorite pastimes included visiting his brother and sisters in the Oklahoma City area, going to see his children and grandchildren, traveling with his friends on bus tours, keeping up with his favorite sports teams, and drinking coffee with his buddies in Granite.
Preceded in death by his parents, wife Barbara (Dill) James, and one sister Charla Smith. He is survived by a daughter Ginger James Allen and husband Blake of Houston, Texas; three sons, Jody James and wife Sandy of Lubbock, Texas, Jon James and wife Theresa of San Angelo, Texas and Justin James and wife Jennifer of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; seven grandchildren, Celia Allen, Juliet Allen, Evan James, Eric James, Coralie James, Anna James, Emily James, Jennifer James, and Zachary James. He is also survived by two sisters, Rita Jenkins and husband Hugh of Piedmont, Oklahoma, Denise Hise of Edmond, Oklahoma, and a brother Ray James and wife Linda of Edmond, Oklahoma, one sister-in-law Suzy Sheriff and partner Bill Hansen of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, three brothers-in-law Claud and Linda Dill of Norman, Oklahoma, Bill and Karen Dill of Hollis, Oklahoma, and Denzil Dill of Arlington, Texas. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends.
While he spent his life serving the public, he wanted to be remembered for trying to be a good person and raising good children.
Funeral services for Ronnie James will be at 9 a.m., Saturday, November 26, 2016, at the Granite First Baptist Church with Rev. Kris Ramber officiating. Interment will follow on Sunday, at 2:00 p.m. at the Dryden Cemetery, northeast of Hollis near the Dill family farm. Services are under the direction of Greer Funeral Home of Granite.
The family will greet friends at Greer Funeral Home in Granite on Friday, November 25, 2016, from 5 until 6 p.m. Online tributes may be made to the family at www.GreerFuneral.com
11/26/2016
9:00 AM
Funeral
Granite First Baptist Church
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JAMES
Ronald Lynn James, age 78, of Granite, passed away peacefully on November 23, 2016 after spending his past days surrounded by his family.
Ronnie was born on April 22, 1938, in Eldorado, Oklahoma to Milton Edward and Vivian Odella (Mefford) James. After graduating from Gould High School in 1956, he married the love of his life Barbara Kay Dill of Hollis on October 26, 1962, in Hollis. He attended Cameron College in Lawton and Southwestern State College, in Weatherford, and then lived a short time in the Arnett Community while he taught school at Arnett and became for the first time a parent to a baby boy. Moving to Cedar Falls, Iowa, Barbara and Ronnie attended Northern Iowa University and then moved to Los Angeles, California for three years where Ronnie was a teacher and where a baby girl joined the family. In 1968, they returned to Oklahoma and began a new life in Granite where he worked as the high school principal and teacher and where the family was completed with the birth of two more baby boys.
Ronnie continued his life of public service when he began working for the State Department of Corrections in the early 70s, and later worked as a vocational rehab counselor. In later years, Ronnie held several jobs including making a brief return to teaching, and later teaching and counseling inmates at the Sayre prison, a position he loved. Ronnie also served as City Judge in Granite for a time in the early 2000s.
Ronnie's favorite pastimes included visiting his brother and sisters in the Oklahoma City area, going to see his children and grandchildren, traveling with his friends on bus tours, keeping up with his favorite sports teams, and drinking coffee with his buddies in Granite.
Preceded in death by his parents, wife Barbara (Dill) James, and one sister Charla Smith. He is survived by a daughter Ginger James Allen and husband Blake of Houston, Texas; three sons, Jody James and wife Sandy of Lubbock, Texas, Jon James and wife Theresa of San Angelo, Texas and Justin James and wife Jennifer of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; seven grandchildren, Celia Allen, Juliet Allen, Evan James, Eric James, Coralie James, Anna James, Emily James, Jennifer James, and Zachary James. He is also survived by two sisters, Rita Jenkins and husband Hugh of Piedmont, Oklahoma, Denise Hise of Edmond, Oklahoma, and a brother Ray James and wife Linda of Edmond, Oklahoma, one sister-in-law Suzy Sheriff and partner Bill Hansen of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, three brothers-in-law Claud and Linda Dill of Norman, Oklahoma, Bill and Karen Dill of Hollis, Oklahoma, and Denzil Dill of Arlington, Texas. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends.
While he spent his life serving the public, he wanted to be remembered for trying to be a good person and raising good children.
Funeral services for Ronnie James will be at 9 a.m., Saturday, November 26, 2016, at the Granite First Baptist Church with Rev. Kris Ramber officiating. Interment will follow on Sunday, at 2:00 p.m. at the Dryden Cemetery, northeast of Hollis near the Dill family farm. Services are under the direction of Greer Funeral Home of Granite.
The family will greet friends at Greer Funeral Home in Granite on Friday, November 25, 2016, from 5 until 6 p.m. Online tributes may be made to the family at www.GreerFuneral.com
11/26/2016
9:00 AM
Funeral
Granite First Baptist Church
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