James Hunter Ogden

Born August 15, 1987

Died September 28, 2021

Our beautiful boy, our shining light, beloved by everyone who knew him. James passed away September 28 after fighting a long and courageous battle with addiction.

James was born to John and Gail Ogden in Atlanta, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his loving grandparents, James & Rachel Hall, and John & Rosemarie Ogden. Survivors include father John E. Ogden Jr., mother Gail Ogden, sisters Kelly Ogden and Kristy Ogden, brother-in-law Daniel Reed, niece Kayla Morrell, and nephews David and Adam Reed.

James was the youngest born in his family of five. He was named after his maternal grandfather James P. Hall who passed away shortly before James’s birth. His arrival brought much joy and healing to his family after the tragic death of his grandfather. As a young child, James was always kind, loving and a ray of sunshine to all those who came in contact with him. He loved to laugh and entertain others. He had a keen intelligence and curiosity to learn new things from a very young age. He grew up loving all creatures, and had a special way of connecting and caring for them, especially all of his dogs. He loved adventures and traveling as a child, in particular to Disney World and Florida to visit family, as well as his extended family’s annual trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

As a young teenager James trained at several martial arts schools. He was an avid Bruce Lee fan, and took a memorable father/son trip to Seattle to pay homage to the gravesites of Lee and his son Brandon. James also learned how to box and he trained under former World Class professional boxer Johnny Gant.

As James grew, he developed a passion for philosophy and writing. He loved diving into fictional and historical books. Some of his favorites were Lord of the Rings and Sherlock Holmes. He adored all the Harry Potter books and revelled in talking about them with his niece and nephews.

James had a strong and abiding relationship with God. He studied religion at Georgia State University with the hopes of working in a ministry of social work to help others. He was a congregant of Peachtree Christian Church and received great solace and comfort in his worship and fellowship with his ministers and church community.

James adored all animals, raising an assortment of lizards, rodents and dogs from a very young age, including his current pet chameleon, Clarence Pimpersnapps. He had an ease and patience with them and connected with all creatures on a spiritual level. Upon entering houses, he would often be immediately bowled over with affection by other people’s dogs. Most notably of these, his mother’s dog Daisy, whom he loved and cherished like a daughter.

He was compassionate, protective and caring towards others. During his college studies, he worked as a caregiver for people with developmental disabilities. He was so fulfilled in that line of work. Throughout his life, he embraced and appreciated people’s differences and unique gifts, and believed in the importance and power of inclusion for all.

James loved to laugh and make others laugh, and he had a gift of dry humor and physical comedy. His favorite thing of all time was “The Office” television series. He could quote every episode by heart, and watching it brought him great joy and comfort. He delighted in making funny videos of himself for social media and he developed quite a following of people who looked forward to his entertaining musings and posts.

He was a gifted writer, often turning to poetry to express his emotions and contemplations on life. The words flowed from him easily and could pierce a heart with their eloquence, sharpness and beauty. Music was a balm for his restless mind, and he often turned to his music for inspiration. His imagination loomed large from an early age, and he has left a hole in all our hearts for what could have been with his creative talents.

Above all James will be most remembered for his immense kindness and big heart. Everywhere he went he made friends and put people at ease with his warmth and charisma. He thought the world of his many friends and his work family. He treasured his big, extended family and he loved his parents deeply. He was the heart of many family gatherings and everyone’s favorite cousin. He loved his niece and nephews fiercely, and in many ways was more like a big brother than an uncle to them, often playing imaginary games with them, discussing movies and music, anticipating when he could take them to Disney World. He looked forward to every holiday and enjoyed many of the simple beauties in life, like the changing seasons, a warm home-cooked meal, and being with his people.

Most importantly, one of the biggest parts of James’s life for so many years was that of his sobriety community. He knew and loved so many people he met through recovery, and in doing so, was loved and supported by them. This reached into every aspect of James's life in the most meaningful of ways, and he formed many steadfast relationships. These friendships gave him tremendous happiness and a sense of belonging. Through his years in recovery, many lifted and supported him when he needed it most. In turn, he touched many lives in the most positive of ways, supporting and counseling others in their moments of need, and encouraging them to keep the faith to persevere, even when he was in the midst of wrestling his own pain. He never gave up on the possibility of peace, fulfillment and sobriety for others and himself. It is one of his greatest legacies.

He left this earthly plane way too soon. Perhaps his inimitable star burned too bright. He is dearly, achingly missed by all who knew and loved him. His family couldn’t be more proud of his accomplishments and all of his incredible bravery and perseverance. He worked so very hard every day of his life to calm his inner demons and grow in faith and strength, and above all to love. He carried so much passion in his beautiful mind and his loving heart, and we hold that with us for an eternity.

“So goodnight you moonlight ladies

Rockabye sweet baby James

Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

Won't you let me go down in my dreams?

And rockabye sweet baby James” - James Taylor

A service / celebration of life will be held in early November. Details will be forthcoming.