JAMES WAFER

1926 - 2018

CMSGT. JAMES WAFER U.S. Air Force, Retired James Arthur Wafer, age 91, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, April 14, 2018, at Sunrise Hospital, in Las Vegas. Born August 15, 1926, in London, England, he was the son of the late James Wafer Sr. (a Nigerian Seaman) and Florence Beatrice. After losing his parents at a young age, James grew up in a children's home in London known as Dr. Barnado's Homes for Children. During World War II and the years shortly thereafter, he served in Her Majesty's Royal Air Force, where he notably participated in the Berlin Airlift. After his enlistment ended in the Royal Air Force, he emigrated to the United States, where he continued what would be a lifetime of military service by enlisting in the U.S. Air Force March 4, 1953. He proudly served his country doing work as a communications equipment technician earning numerous awards and commendations in such places as Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Brazil, to name a few foreign countries he visited. His final duty station was Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento, California, where he retired May 31, 1983 at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt). Following his 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force, he once again decided to continue serving his country by signing up for Federal Service as a logistics/supply specialist at Sacramento Army Depot after a brief stint of work at the U.S. Postal Service. This would be his next big endeavor in life as he went on to take an assignment to Germany in 1986. His second retirement came in 2000 when he decided to settle down by purchasing a home in Henderson. Still unable to fully embrace retirement, he eventually took up work in armed security operations by working at the Sands Expo Convention Center for over a decade and then working part-time after that for smaller security outfits such as DTA and SOA security. His favorite hobby in life was playing soccer during his years in the Air Force. He proudly played alongside fellow service members and would later devote himself to coaching and officiating to support future generations of soccer payers after he decided to stop playing. He truly loved the sport and his favorite football club always remained the Tottenham Hotspur of London England no matter where he lived. James is survived by his wife, Noodaeng Wafer; sons, James John Wafer of New Zealand and James Thanom Wafer of Henderson; daughter, Juanita Lyn White of England; son-in-law, Thomas Calvin White; grandchildren, Yolanda Williams, Michelle Adams, Keon White and Emerald Wafer; and great-grandchildren, Cory Jacob Adams, Lexi Jade Adams and James Wafer Jr. Viewing with full military honors will be 2-5 p.m. Thursday, May 3, at Davis Funeral Home, 6200 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89119. Everyone who knew James is welcome to attend services and say farewell to him. Afterwards, he will be cremated and laid to rest in the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City at a smaller memorial service.