Two days after his mother's funeral Maxine C. W. Baker James was found dead by his uncle Billy McCall Butler. He died of a heart attack. James was a native Jacksonian and attended Lambuth College and also served in the United States Navy. James was employed as a reporter by the Jackson Sun for several years. He moved to Florida and continued his journalism career for many years. He is survived by his sister Jean Casey Jones of Virginia Beach VA. James was cremated and the service is for family only.