JAMES ANTHONY JONES WAS BORN ON OCTOBER 8TH. 1966 TO RUBY JEAN JONES AND ESLEY "BEAVER" JONES IN ARCADIA. FLORIDA. HE WAS AFFECTIONATELY CALLED "TOOTSIE" BY HIS FAMILY AND CLOSE FRIENDS.. HIS EARLY YEARS WERE SPENT AT HIS MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WHERE HE SPENT TIME - FISHING. COOKING.

RUNNING AROUND AND PLAYING WITH HIS GOOD BUDDY RONNIE "MUG" JAMES. AT AN EARLY AGE. JAMES LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE WHILE ATTENDING SHILOH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH ALONGSIDE HIS GRANDMOTHER ARIE ("MAMA") EVERY SUNDAY. DURING THE TIME WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER. HE ATTENDED SMITH BROWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND DESOTO MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHERE HIS LOVE FOR FOOTBALL BEGAN.

IN 1976. JAMES JOINED HIS MOTHER. STEPFATHER AND YOUNGER SIBLINGS IN NEW YORK CITY BUT THE FAST - PACED ENERGY AND CITY LIFE WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE YOUNGSTER WHO BECAME HOMESICK FOR HIS BIRTHPLACE. JAMES RETURNED TO FLORIDA FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE REJOINING HIS FAMILY WHERE HE BECAME A DEVOTED BIG BROTHER. PROTECTOR AND ROLE MODEL TO HIS BROTHERS AND SISTER. ALL WHILE COMPLETING HIS STUDIES AND WORKING VARIOUS JOBS AS A SHOES SALESMAN. MANAGER. COOK AND YOUTH COUNSELOR.

JAMES GRADUATED FROM THEODORE ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL. BRONX. NY IN JUNE 1985. HE EARNED A ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT FROM LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE - CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK. QUEENS. NY IN AUGUST 1993 THEREAFTER OBTAINING HIS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FROM DOMINICAN COLLEGE AT BLAUVELT - ORANGEBURG. NY IN MAY 2000. WHILE AT DOMINICAN COLLEGE. HE MET AND MARRIED HIS LOVING WIFE TAMMY. THEY SHARED TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF MARRIAGE BEFORE HER UNTIMELY DEATH IN NOVEMBER 2024.

JAMES HAD MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN HIS LIFE - NOTABLY THE FOUNDATION OF HIS CAREER - HIS LICENSE TO PRACTICE AS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST IN JANUARY 2001. HIS PASSION AND EXPERTISE IN HIS PROFESSIONAL FIELD WAS HELD IN HIGH REGARDS BY HIS COLLEAGUES. PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF NEW YORK. GREENWICH WOODS HEALTH CARE CENTER. PREFERRED THERAPY SOLUTIONS AND MOST RECENTLY AT NYS VETERANS HOME IN MONTROSE. NY. HIS CARE AND COMMITMENT WAS PRECISE. PERSONABLE AND TAILORED TOWARDS THOSE REGAINING THEIR CONFIDENCE AND STABILITY WITH THEIR DAILY LIFE FUNCTIONS AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT OR INJURY. JAMES WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL CAREGIVER THAT OFTEN WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND HIS PROFESSIONAL TITLE: IT WAS HIS TRUE CALLING.

JAMES WAS A HARDWORKING MAN AND OUTSIDE OF WORK. HE HAD A PASSION FOR TAKING LONG DRIVES WHETHER IT BE TO ATLANTIC CITY. NEW JERSEY. PENNSYLVANIA OR FLORIDA - ALL WHILE LISTENING TO 90S R&B AND OLD SCHOOL MUSIC. HE ALSO LOVED THE MUSIC OF STEPHANIE MILLS AND ANITA BAKER. HE ENJOYED READING BOOKS BY JOHN GRISHAM. HE WAS AN AVID SPORTS FAN WHO LOVED WATCHING CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING MATCHES. FOOTBALL GAMES AND HIS ALL-TIME FAVORITE - COLLEGE HOOPS WITH HIS FAMILY. JAMES WORSHIPPED AT GRACEPOINT GOSPEL CHURCH IN NEW CITY. NY FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL HE WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND BUT CONTINUED TO REJOICE IN HIS READING OF THE BIBLE. JAMES DIED PEACEFULLY AT HIS HOME IN WEST HAVERSTRAW. NY ON SEPTEMBER 7. 2025.

JAMES LEAVES FOND MEMORIES WITH HIS BELOVED MOTHER RUBY JEAN JAMES OF BRONX. NY: HIS FATHER ESLEY JONES OF WILLIAMSPORT. PENNSYLVANIA: HIS SIBLINGS LOUIS "ERVIN" JAMES. CHANTA JAMES. JOSEPH JAMES. ESLEY WILLIAMS. BETHANY WILLIAMS, LIBBY WILLIAMS. PEGGY WILLIAMS-YOUNG (DION). CLARENCIA GOLDWIRE AND GWENDOLYN GAINES (GREGORY): HIS CHILDREN. JAYQUAN JONES. ASHLEY "BRIANNA" JONES AND STEPSON MICHAEL HARPER JR: HIS GRANDCHILDREN. CARTER ANTHONY JONES AND ILANA OLIVIA JONES: A HOST OF NIECES. NEPHEWS. AUNTS. UNCLES. COUSINS. FRIENDS AND CLOSE BUDDIES (OF OVER FORTY YEARS). IVAN JOHNSON AND DERRON " SMOKEY " EDINGTON.

JAMES WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS ARIE LEE AND WOODROW WILSON GRAHAM: HIS STEPFATHER LEWIS JAMES JR.: HIS SON JAMAR ROBERT JONES AND HIS WIFE TAMMY BELLAMY-JONES.

TOOTSIE MAY BE GONE BUT HIS SOUL AND THE LOVE HE SHARED LIVES ON. WE WILL ALWAYS CARRY HIS MEMORY IN OUR HEARTS.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 12, 2025 from 2pm - 6pm at TJ McGowan Sons Funeral Home in Garnerville, NY, followed by a private cremation.

To Send flowers, please visit Bassett Flowers at www.bassettflowers.com or call 845-634-3638 .