James Jim Anthony Semien Jr.

James A. Semien Jr. was born August 29, 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was one of three children born to Alice and James A. Semien Sr. He later was blessed with two additional brothers, Martin, born to James Sr and wife Doreen and Chauncey Roulette born to Alice and James Roulette.

As a child he was educated in San Francisco, California before moving to Kansas City and graduating from Central High School. Later he served in the Air Force as an Air Policeman. He was released with an honorable discharge in June 1971.

In 1981, James met Jo while serving as store manager at the McDonald’s in Olathe, Kansas. He felt so lucky that he always called her his “McDonald’s million dollar baby”. On December 18, 1982, they were united in marriage. From this union he and Jo shared three children, Lisa and Lamont Semien from his first marriage and Baron Jones from Jo’s first marriage. James and Jo added to their family when his Aunt Octavia Semien came to live with them in 2013,

After working for McDonald’s, he was employed by Federal Express as a delivery driver. While working for Federal Express he took advantage of their educational program and worked to receive his CDL license. He retired from Federal Express, and after several months of boredom, began employment with UPS as an over the road driver. He worked for UPS for several years and decided to give retirement another chance. Retirement proved to be to inactive for him so he became affiliated with Estes Trucking Company and drove for them until his death. He had planned to retire after his 70thbirthday, August 29, 2016. One of James’ main concerns of driving was safety in which he received several safety awards.

James had accepted Christ and was a Christian who loved the Lord. He had a beautiful voice and would sing God’s praises. Through the years he served under Pastor Stanley Smith at New Light Bethel Baptist Church and Pastor Mark Smith at Bethel AME. In recent years he would accompany his aunt to church services and periodically attend Church of the Harvest with his wife Jo. Their home had become one of the host homes for the youth program and he enjoyed the “girls” when they would be there for meetings and when some of them would stop in. To some, he was known as Mr. Jim.

James is preceded in death by his sister Elaine Semien in 1979, and later by his mother Alice Roulette in 1987. He leaves to mourn a devoted wife, Jo A. Semien, His father James Sr and stepmother Doreen Semien; two sons, Lamont Semien of Overland Park, Kansas, and Baron Jones of Tampa, Florida; a daughter, Lisa McPhail, of Dallas Texas; four grandchildren Regan and Rylan Semien and Izabella and Sebastian Jones; one sister, Sharon Semien Rhodes; three brothers, Michael Semien, HI, Martin Semien, Oakley, California, and Chauncey Roulette, Topeka, Kansas; One daughter-in-law, Liesa Semien; one son-in-law, Daryl McPhail, one brother-in-law, Jerry Rhodes; three Sister-in-laws, Nana Semien, Lydia Semien, and Tabetha Roulette; and a host of relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at The Church of the Harvest 14841 S. Black Bob Rd. Olathe, Kansas. Entombment in Mount Moriah Mausoleum 10507 Holmes Rd. Kansas City, Missouri. Visitation Wednesday morning 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the service.

Condolences may be offered at: www.mcgilley-frye.com