Mr. James Taylor Lively, Sr.

James Taylor Lively passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 24, 2016 in Madera, California. On May 6, 1931, James was born in Wichita, Kansas. James’ family consisted of his father, Taylor Roberts; his foster dad, Leonard Prince Lively; and his mother, Dovie Katherine Smith. Even as a young man, James maintained a strong work ethic, and yet he only held four jobs his entire life. Jokingly, James once said he worked so hard because he was poor and needed to, but in actuality, he simply wanted to get ahead in life. He worked for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas until he was 21 years old.

After that, James went into the military for active Army duty in 1952. While in the Army, James fought hard for his country. He liked helping others when he served in the military, but war took a toll on him. Not only did James fight in the Korean War, but he also served in the Vietnam War as well. While in the Vietnam War, he was involved in a catastrophic explosion. Due to this, he lost much of his hearing and had shrapnel in various parts of his body. In order to recover, James stayed in 15 different hospitals for 23 months. Because James showed such tremendous courage and dedication in the face of danger, the military awarded him a Purple Heart Medal. James served his American country with honor and great pride until he left the military in 1979.

Upon leaving the military, James also worked in real estate for many years. Then when most people would be thinking of retirement, James started working at Wal-Mart and continued working there until 2005. Previous to retiring, James had met a lovely woman named Linda and they married in April 2005. James and Linda loved each other greatly, often traveling together and dressing up in matching outfits every single day. After Linda unexpectedly passed away in November 2015, James continually expressed how much he missed her. Surely they are now reunited again in Heaven.

James was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Linda; his oldest sister, Lucille Parker; and his older sister, Fredericka “Freddie” Evans. James leaves behind family and friends who loved him more than words can say. He is survived by several family members: daughter, Debra Batiste; son-in-law, John Batiste; son, James Lively Jr.; sister, Barbara Roach; Linda’s son, Clinton J. Beckton Jr. and his wife Antoinette; Linda’s son, Sandy Beckton and his wife Jennifer; a total of seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A memorial service for James T. Lively will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home in Fresno, California on Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Though now gone, James Taylor Lively will never be forgotten and will always be missed.