James Amos, Sr.

passed away Monday, April 11, 2005 at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo. Jim was born July 4, 1929, the son of Erwin J. and Maybelle G. (Rowley) Amos. He was a veteran of the US Marine Corps, serving in WW II and the Korean War. He retired from Western Michigan University in 1991 and has been active in a variety of volunteer activities in the community, including the Kalamazoo Community Access Center TV station where he hosted a live, weekly show titled "Amos in the Evening." Among other volunteer agencies he served were Kalamazoo Senior Services, The Shepherd Center, Prime Time Players, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Tillers International, and the Gallery Art Center. Jim was a member of the Kalamazoo Rotary, the Kalamazoo Area Emmaus Community, and the United Methodist Church, where he served as a trustee, a Lay Speaker, a Lay Visitor, and an audio/visual technician. Jim loved people--all people--from all walks of life. One of his favorite things to do was to "jaw" with friends at Jan's Trailside Cafe and various other coffee shops. He loved his Lord, his family, his TV crew, art, theater, music, flowers, photography, hard candy, and technical gadgets. He enjoyed doing magic tricks for children. Surviving are his wife Freida M. Amos whom he married December 31, 1952; three children, James (Kristin Gustafson) Amos II of Lawton, Charles (Tandra) Amos of Gobles, Julianne (Dan) Shaw of Richland; grandchildren Jason Joyner, Kary Amos, James Amos III, Karly Amos, Alyssa (Michael) Newton, and Anthony Shaw; great-grand children, Jade Bauer, Alayne and Mallory Newton; sisters Iris Bailey, Beverly Carlson, and Donna Snow; and a large extended family of in-laws and nieces and nephews. Jim was prededed in death by his parents; siblings Alice Granger, Marjorie Smith, Jeanette Thomas, Nellie Barney, Robert Amos, Geraldine Tyler, Charles Amos, and Theodore Amos. The family will meet friends from 4-7 PM Thursday at GOBLES CHAPEL, D. L. Miller Funeral Home, www.dlmillerfuneralhome.com Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Friday at the Kendall United Methodist Church with Pastor Mary Beth Rhine officiating. Interment will take place 2:30 PM Friday at Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta. The family suggests memorials to Kendall United Methodist Church, Kalamazoo Community Access Center, or the American Heart Association.

James Amos, Sr.

July 4, 1929 - April 11, 2005