James Edward Myers

James Edward Myers, fondly known as (Jim, Jimmy, Buster), son of the late Edward Franklin Myers and Alice Willis Ballard Myers; fond father of the late Charlotte Myers Wortham (Napoleon); fond brother of the late Mary Reed (Raphael), Sarah Myers Roach (Calvin) and John B. Myers (Beatrice), passed quietly from this life to that realm where man never breathed nor eagle ever flew on Monday, May 16, 2005 at approximately 4:45 p.m. at the Cromwell Rehabilitation Center. His devoted wife was at his bedside. Also present was his son. James was fondly called the patriarch of the Myers family. He was born October 31, 1912 in Baltimore, Maryland, becoming a member of a well known Baltimore family. His father, Edward F. Myers, was co-owner of the Goldfield Hotel, along with Joe Gans, lightweight champion of the world, and he owned the Middle Section Club.It was at these clubs that he met the famed Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, who were dear friends of his father and who later visited with him and his wife Lillie at their home for several years until their deaths. He completed Douglass Senior High School, then located at Calhoun and Baker Streets in the Class of June 1929, often referred to as the "famed class of '29". From Douglass, he entered Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania. He left Lincoln and pursued courses at Johnson C. Smith College in North Carolina. James had been taken to church by his mother ever since he was a youngster. As a very young boy he would often say (jokingly) that it was a wonder that one of his arms might be longer than the other, because his mother "dragged" him by one arm to see that he went to church all day. At the beginning of his Christian life, he became a member of the Waters A.M.E. Church, participating in Sunday School activities, even to the point of making radios . . . that worked. James loved music, all kinds of music, but especially classical and jazz. He played the violin under the direction of music teacher Llewellyn Wilson at Douglass. He starred in the operetta, "The Flying Dutchman", playing the violin. For thirty-two years, he was employed at the Lockheed Martin and Middle River Aircraft Systems. He was excellent in performance to the end that the Martin Company hired him to teach Blueprint reading at Carver High School's evening program. James' radiant personality and deep love of and concern for people were reflected in all avenues of his life. He was a very caring man. He loved humor . . . he was a joy to be around. February 1, 1964, he was married to the former Lillie Nelson by the late Reverend J. Lloyd Garrison. They shared forty-one glorious years of marriage based on love, caring, sharing and laughter. He will be sorely missed. He leaves to cherish his memory: his loving, devoted wife, Lillie; devoted son and daughter-in-law, James Warren Myers and Janet; daughter, Betty Marshall; devoted sister-in-law, Kathleen Green (Phillip); granddaughters, Shellae Worth Blackwell (Hugo) Yorktown, Virginia; Donna Marshall, Royce Marshall and Bria Myers; grandson, Shann Wortham, Atlanta, Georgia; great-granddaughter, Sheena Blackwell, Atlanta, Georgia, and others; nieces, Alicia Myers Alston (Calvin), Barbara Green, Patricia McCall (Sean), Paula Small (Robert) and Pamela Johnson; nephews, Edward C. Myers, Calvin Roach (New York) and Phillip Al Green (Alicia) and great nephews Erik Alston, Bryan Alston and Stefan Turner.

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James Edward Myers

October 31, 1912 - May 16, 2005