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JAMES ALFRED Of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and formerly of Columbus, Ohio, died June 30, 2011 at the age of 96. James was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he graduated from Grandview High School in 1933. He was proud to have spent over a year in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in various camps. After attending Ohio State University for two years in pre-forestry, and then more time with the CCC, he graduated from The University of Michigan in 1939. His first professional job was in Texas, trying to persuade farmers to dedicate a portion of their land to growing trees. There, he met and married his first wife, Sylvan, who died in 1979. Subsequent to doing logging and sawmilling in West Virginia, James worked for twenty-four years for the American Creosoting Company. In 1983, he married his second wife, Cecile. In 1985, he retired from Burgess & Niple, Ltd. in Columbus, after nearly twenty years. In 2000, he and Cecile moved to La Vida Llena (LVL) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was a very active retiree. In 2005, he placed first place in his age group for weight lifting in the Senior Olympics. He wrote and participated in plays at LVL, helped to get a good exercise facility there, did an exercise motivational video for the close-circuit TV, helped with the hearing clinics, delivered the Wall Street Journal, and willingly helped anyone who needed anything. Jim was a devoted husband to both his wives and always had a special connection with his nieces and nephew, and later with his stepchildren, step-grandchildren, and step-great-grandchildren. James was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Edith; his sister, Bettie; his brother, Paul and wife, Elva; his brother, Lloyd; his first wife, Sylvan; and his second wife, Cecile. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Nora Gilbert; stepchildren, Cheryl (Gerald) Hale and Matthew (Patricia) Beucler; five step-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren. He also is survived by his nieces and nephew, Gwendolyn Stephens, Pamela (David) Grath, Deborah Case (Joe Hughes), Bettie (Ben) Komar, Judy (George) Coles, Rebecca (Daniel) Allender and Thomas (Cindy) Gilbert and their families. Committal will be at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church in Los Alamos, New Mexico at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to La Vida Llena Full Life Foundation, 10501 Lagrima de Oro NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111. FRENCH 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
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