James Everett Statler

James passed away after a tragic hit-and-run accident on August 13, 2023, a few miles from his home in Glendale, Arizona. He leaves this world far too soon at the age of 30.
James was born on February 12, 1993, in Newport Beach, California. He grew up playing in the ocean and soaking up the California sunshine with his older brother, David. At the age of 10, James and his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. He traded in his love of the beach and the ocean for the love of the desert sand. He found his passion for adventure and speed while riding quads and dirt bikes through the dunes with his friends and family.
His love for dirt biking naturally transferred over to a love for motorcycles. He could be found riding his bike to enjoy the beautiful summer evenings or winter days around Cave Creek, Arizona. He would ride and meet up with friends at Buffalo Chip, Harold's, and The Creek.
James graduated from Cactus Shadows High School in 2012 and went on to find his passion for technical work. He worked at ProLift Rigging Company and had worked his way up to foreman. James worked closely with his crew and quickly made lifelong friends which translated to becoming family members. He drove heavy equipment and had a knack for coming up with solutions for complex problems.
Outside of work his creative side came through with his talent for pickling and smoking foods. He had a natural gift for sports even when trying for the first time. His interests were diverse, from shooting sporting clays, golfing, and motorcycles. James enjoyed bonding with his dad, Doug while shooting, baking, and working on home improvements.
James had a close relationship with his brother, David. Their special bond transcended into getting meaningful tattoos. They expressed their love for each other by pestering, jabbing and pranking one another.
James and his mom, Kim, were extremely close. They had a special relationship that was full of love and caring. They tackled home projects, worked out together and always had deep discussions on how to solve the world's problems.
Everyone that knew James, knows what a big heart he had. He lit up every room that he walked into, and he brought so much joy to life. James's sense of humor was as infectious as his smile. He will be dearly missed by family, friends, "puppies", and all that surrounded him.
He is preceded in death by his Paternal Grandfather, Glen Statler, his Maternal Grandfather, Lawrence Sad.
James had a compassion for animals, especially dogs. He leaves behind his 3 beautiful pit bulls: Kimber, Capone, and Patron. In his honor, and in-lieu of flowers, please donate to Phoenix Humane Society and Puppy Love at Cave Creek.
(Click on the hyperlinks above to go directly to their donation pages or see their home webpages below)
https://www.azhumane.org
http://www.puppyluvrescue.org