, 85, was born June 15, 1941, in Santa Anna, TX, to Jesse Roy "J.R." and Helen Virginia (Dean) Haynes.

He entered Heaven on October 20, 2026, from Marble Falls, TX. James married his high school sweetheart LaVelle McClintock in Santa Anna, TX, on September 30, 1959. They had one daughter, Becky, and lived in Brownwood; Jal, NM; and Kermit, TX. He worked many years in trucking before a second career in the Methodist ministry.

James graduated from Cisco Junior College, Tarleton State University, and Perkins School of Theology/SMU, pastoring churches in Blanket, Mullin, Gorman, Dublin, Rising Star, May, Gordon, Santo, Hannibal, Florence, Jarrell, Waco Lakeview, and Chatfield, retiring in 2006.