Donald Russell James

Link to livestream   https://livestream.com/npw/events/9601287

Donald Russell James was born on April 3, 1953, in South Amboy, New Jersey. He died on February 11 in Midland, Texas, after a lengthy illness.

Don grew up in neighboring Morgan, New Jersey, on Ninth Street near the Raritan Bay, which overlooks the New York City skyline. A great place to grow up, it had nearby woods, baseball fields, and the bay shoreline to play with friends and his brothers. Baseball was something he especially enjoyed. Playing in the Little League, his mother gave him the nickname, ‘Bambino,’ after the great Babe Ruth because of the many home runs Don hit. An avid sports fan, he remained a loyal fan of the New York Yankees and New York Giants throughout his life.

Don attended Newark College and went to work at Merck Pharmaceutical, where he spent 30 years in the Maintenance and Supply Chain Departments. After his parents retired and moved to Texas, he lived for several years with his brother, Dennis, in the family home on Ninth Street. The two bachelors were the consummate ‘odd couple’ but managed to get along without ‘killing’ each other. Donald never married but had a long time relationship with a girlfriend, Maureen Sweeny. They bought a house together in Sayreville, New Jersey. They parted after several years, and Don moved to nearby South Amboy.

Don loved music and especially enjoyed attending concerts in New Jersey and the New York area. He possessed a high IQ and was a member of the Mensa Society. Don was talkative, witty, had a vast vocabulary, and often threw out a pithy political comment or some word, which none of us knew the meaning.  He was virtually unbeatable in music and entertainment trivia. He was incredible, competing from his armchair with his favorite television game show, ‘Jeopardy.’

Endowed with a terrific sense of humor, he enjoyed telling jokes and seemed to have a new one for us every day. He loved pop music mainly from the 1970s and loved dancing. When he was a resident at Manor Park and Legacy Ranch in Midland, Texas, he especially loved to dance, either alone freestyle or with one of the caretakers. The staff loved him.

Don enjoyed traveling. He visited much of the US, made trips to Canada, Mexico and Greece. He also escorted his Uncle Gabe on holiday to South America.

Donald James was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Daniel James, his mother, Ann Marie Morenko James, and his infant brother, Daniel James.  Three older brothers survive him: Darryl, married to Lynn James; Duane, married to Marcia James; and Dennis, married to Kathy James. Don has a younger sister, Arden, whose husband, Donald Rainey, is deceased.

Donald James has two nephews, Timothy James and Christopher James, and three nieces, Tiffany James, Dr. Rebecca James, and Cheryl James.

A memorial service will be held on his birthday, April 3, 2021, at 3:00 pm at the Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home Chapel, 3800 N. Big Spring St. Midland, Texas. A reception will follow. The memorial will be live-streamed.  In lieu of flowers, a donation made in his memory to SPCA would be appreciated.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland.  Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.