Troy James, Sr., 85 of Hayden, Idaho, went to be with the Lord peacefully surrounded by his family at Schneidmiller Hospice House on June 25, 2022.
Troy was born in 1936 in Pauls Valley, Okla., to William and Bertie James. He was one of five siblings.
At 18, he joined the 21st Air Force Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Chambley Air Base in France. He proudly served his country and passed on his respect for the military to his family. As part of the Field Maintenance Squadron, he learned a lot about mechanics and opened a service station in Santa Monica, California shortly after returning to the United States.
He’s always loved cars, and really anything that drives, but his favorite has always been the Corvette. After closing his gas station, Troy went into construction working primarily with his family for most of his years before retiring.
Some of his best times were living on a farm in Northern California and living on land in Idaho. He loved family, children and animals – even more children with animals, going so far as to gift his great-grandchildren a herd of goats because he fondly remembered how much his daughters loved each other. entertained with their goats when they were growing up.
After retirement, Troy adopted Yogi, his Jack Russell with whom he shared much of his later life. Yogi went everywhere with him; they were best friends. He loved taking her on quad rides exploring Oklahoma and later the great Northwest after returning to Idaho to be closer to his family.
Wherever Troy has lived, his neighbors have always been like family to him. He truly lived in community with his neighbors, sharing meals, prayers and assistance when each was in need. We are so grateful for the friendships he had with them. Ruth, Chuck, Shar, Rick, Alan, Tonya and others – he loved you like family.
Troy always said he had only one known allergy: he was “allergic to pain.” We are comforted to know that he passed away peacefully under the compassionate care of the Hospice of North Idaho. In the months leading up to his passing, he was blessed with a lot of attention from the team at Reliant Healthcare.
Nothing brought Troy more joy than seeing his great-grandchildren play together. He often hosted tea parties with the girls and listened to their plays and elaborate stories.
Troy is survived by his son Troy (Deborah) James, Jr; daughters, Tiffany (Matt) Wildharber and Trisha (Sean) McClelland; daughter-in-law, Tawni (John) Germanetti; grandchildren: Sarah, Stephanie, Laura, Andrew, Tory, Jackson, Maureen, Patrick, Katie, Emily, Declan, Tanner and Taylor; great-grandchildren: Alyse, Eli, Jenna, Tucker, Kinsley, Edie, Fae, Lily, Charlie, Emmylou, Isabeau, Eloise, Esme and Everett; and her sisters, Geneva Combs of Texas and June (James) Dovell of California; and his brother, Billy James of Oklahoma.
He is predeceased by his parents William and Bertie James and his sister Joyce Neeley.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Please visit Troy’s online memorial and sign its guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com
