James W. Headley Jr.

James Wesley Headley, Jr., 91, passed away on July 26, 2020. He was born in Bentonville, Arkansas on December 12, 1928 to James Wesley, Sr. and June Rusella Smith Headley. He was the seventh child of a family of thirteen. He traveled to northwest Kansas in a covered wagon; where he grew up. As a young man he was a horseman and made money breaking horses. At 18, he joined the Army and was stationed in West Germany patrolling the iron curtain. He quickly rose in rank and was stationed in Fort Sam Houston as a small arms instructor. When the Korean War broke out, he was assigned to a recon unit and served there throughout the entire war. After leaving the service he returned to Kansas and married Loretta Jane Talbott and had eight children.

He is survived by children, James III, Mary Jane, Thomas, Paul, Samuel, Mark, Leonard, and Linda; two sisters, Bell and Edith; one brother Duane; he is also survived by eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at Shive Public Cemetery 10:00 AM, on August 1, 2020. Funeral arrangements under the direction of Riley Funeral Home.