Obituary: Coy James

May 17th, 1931 - April 2nd, 2021

Our beloved Papa, Coy Carrol James, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on April 2nd, 2021 at the age of 89 years old. Coy was born in Clyde, Texas on May 17th, 1931. He was one of 8 children (6 brothers and 1 sister). His family moved to Pittsburg, California in the 40’s when Coy was 14 years old. It didn’t take him long to find his life-long sweetheart, Betty Jean Arnold. They were married on March 17th, 1951 in Martinez, California. Together, they just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary!

Three blessings came in their first decade of marriage, their children: Coy Davis, Bonnie Jean, and Philip Wayne. While his children were young, Coy worked several different jobs in the Bay Area including a job at Camp Stoneman as a heavy equipment operator, the steel mill in Pittsburg, and Shell Oil Company where he did training as an electrician.

In 1962 Coy and Betty moved their family to Weed, California where

they could be near the mountains and enjoy life in the country. Coy loved to ride and raise horses, hunt, and fish. In Siskiyou County he worked for International Paper Company, drove logging and cattle trucks, and finished his career working 21 years for CalTrans, where he retired in 1989. After retirement Coy took deep pride in the upkeep of his family homestead.

Alongside his wife, Coy was a long-standing member of the Assembly of God Church in Weed where he remained a faithful member for the last 59 years. He served on the church board and could often be found working on projects behind the scenes. There is no doubt that God gave him the gift of being a “helper” to those in need. Coy blessed others as a skilled leather, metal, and woodworker, and he stayed busy being a “Jack-of-all-trades”.

If you asked those who knew him best he would be described as dependable & strong, steady & honest, diligent & hardworking. The lives of those of us left behind are forever better because of him. Coy’s memory will live on through his loving wife (Betty), his three children and their spouses (Davy & Debbie, Bonnie & Pat, and Phil & Annette), eight grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren with one more on the way.

We will celebrate his life well-lived on Saturday, April 17th at 1:30 p.m. at the Assembly of God Church in Weed. Go rest high on the mountain, Papa, your work on Earth is finally done.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Girdner Funeral Chapel is assisting the family, and online condolences may be made at www.girdnerfuneralchapel.com.