Willie Henry “Pee Wee” James

Willie Henry “Pee Wee” James of Blytheville was born Jan. 22, 1940, in Blytheville to the late Willie James and the late Ardie Read James. He was a teacher for Blytheville Public Schools, bus driver and a funeral director for Wilson Funeral Home. He also held a bachelor’s degree in education. Willie was a member of New Immanuel M.B. Church, where he was chairman of Deacon Board and the Trustee Board as well as a Sunday school teacher. Mr. James passed away Feb. 28, 2022, at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville at the age of 82. He was preceded in death by his father, Willie James; his mother, Ardie Read James; his first wife, Ila Thompson James; one son, Thomas Holliday; three brothers- in-law, Alfred Hopkins, Jr., Rev. Robert Hopkins and James Hopkins; and one grandson, Henry King III.

He is survived by his wife, Vera Hopkins James of Blytheville; two sons, Brian (Monique) James of Junction City, Kan., and Kerry (Tawanda) Johnson of Baltimore, Md.; two daughters, Jacqueline (Jimmy) Davis of Olive Branch, Miss., and Deborah Weaver of Blytheville; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

The visitation will be held Saturday, March 5, from 12-2 p.m. at the Blytheville High School boys gym in Blytheville with the funeral immediately following at 2 p.m., Rev. Burton Furlow officiating. The burial will be held at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens in Blytheville. Services are provided by Wilson Funeral Home Blytheville.