James C. Joiner

JOINER, James C.

James Clifton (JC) Joiner, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, pastor, preacher, soul-winner, teacher and leader went to sit at the feet of Jesus on Saturday, December 21, 2019. JC was born in Clovis, New Mexico, in 1931, to Jack and Sophia Joiner, then raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico along with his younger sister, Christine Joiner West. After graduating from high school in 1949, he headed for New Mexico State on a football scholarship. When a shoulder injury curtailed his athletic career, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served in the Korean War as a radio operator in B52 airplanes.While serving in the military, JC attended Tabernacle Baptist Church in Roswell, New Mexico, where he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and met and married his bride Juanita "Nita" Berry in 1953. After finishing his commitment to the US Air Force, JC graduated from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO, and then received his degree from Tennessee Temple University.In 1959, JC and Nita felt a calling to move to Tucson, Arizona to start the New Testament Baptist Church. After holding services in school buildings for three years, the church purchased five acres of property on Craycroft Road—an unpaved road on the edge of town at the time…now one of the busiest thoroughfares in Tucson. This March, the church celebrated its 60th Anniversary and honored JC Joiner as founding pastor, and for his 60 years of service.When Nita Joiner passed away in 2008, JC Joiner continued their work in Tucson, Arizona at the New Testament Baptist Church. It is there that JC found his new ministry partner and wife, marrying Jacque Knight in August of 2010.J.C. Joiner is survived by his wife, Jacque Joiner; his children, Jamie Frankland (Carroll), Kim Torres (Frank), Paul Joiner, Bryan Joiner and Kelly Martin (Marty); eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 7, 2020, New Testament Baptist Church, 2855 N. Craycroft Rd., Tucson, AZ. Graveside Service at 1:30 p.m., East Lawn Cemetery, 5801 E. Grant Rd., Tucson, AZ. Arrangements by EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY.