SGT. 1St Class Joshua M. James

1987 - 2022

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua M. James

October 21, 1987 - November 15, 2022

Joshua Michael James, 35, of Granite Falls, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022.

Joshua was born Oct. 21, 1987 in Sandusky, Ohio, and joined the U.S. Army as a 13B field artillery cannon crewmember July 18, 2009. He was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation New Dawn in May of 2016. He was promoted to sergeant May 1, 2012, and promoted to staff sergeant September 1, 2016, and posthumously promoted to sergeant first class. He was stationed at Fort Bragg from 2010 to 2013, Fort Campbell from 2013 to 2018, and the Morganton and Hickory recruiting stations from 2018 to 2022.

He was a graduate of the U.S. Army Artillery's Advanced Leader Course as Distinguished Honor Graduate and Army Senior Leader Course. He was also a graduate of Army Airborne (2010) and Air Assault (2013) schools. He graduated the Army Recruiter Course in 2018. His awards include: one Army Commendation Medal with C-Combat Device, one Army Commendation Medal, six Army Achievement Medals, four Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Army Recruiting Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Survivors include his wife, Lindsey Harper James of the home; mother, Dawn Marie James Yates and husband, Donald of Sandusky; his girls, Haylen Rayne James and Justyce Nichole Glass, both of the home; siblings, Marcedes Pidcock and husband, Matt of Wauseon, Ohio, Garrett James of Sandusky, and Cricket Walters and husband, Aaron of Sandusky; his grandmother, Alice Harkness of Sandusky; his cousin (like a brother), Sgt. 1st Class-E7 Scott Pflieger and wife, Brittany; and a very large extended family.

He is preceded in death by his grandfather, Robert James.

A celebration of life service will be held from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20, at Fyreside, 440 South Main St. in Granite Falls. The body will lie-in-state Friday, Dec. 2, from 4 to 6 p.m., at Mackie Funeral Service in Granite Falls. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4, at Harper Family Cemetery in Glasgow, Ky., handled by A.F. Crow & Son Funeral Home in Glasgow.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Til Valhalla Project, 3400 Agricultural Center Dr., Saint Augustine, FL 32092.

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