Remembering James
(1954 – 2024)

James Steven Mize passed away peacefully in Asheville NC after open heart surgery. He grew up on a farm near Byron GA. An old-school free-range kid, he spent hours roaming the woods and fields and places all around him. With that exploration came a love and appreciation for the natural world that he held close all his life. James loved to tell folks he was raised by an Airedale named Rex, a constant companion. As testament to this, in his wallet to the end, James carried a 60-year-old photograph of himself and Rex together on the front porch.

What held equal fascination for him? Engines and machines of course. As a youngster too short to see over and under the hood, James would climb up and stand on the front fender to watch his father work on a car. He “fixed” his bike, disassembled and reassembled lawn mowers, drove a tractor at 14, and when he was 15 worked part time at a filling station, pumping gas and fixing flats. His dream was to build engines for NASCAR, but early marriage and fatherhood led him to apprentice with his father as a Tool and Die Maker. Over a work career that spanned 45 years and that took him from coast to coast, he adapted and reinvented himself, becoming a 3D Laser Coordinate Measurement System specialist and instructor. Hands-on expertise shaped his approach to training. Doing good work mattered to him.

Overcoming undiagnosed dyslexia, James read voraciously – history, science, philosophy, psychology, black studies, world civilizations, case and field studies, biographies – you name the subject, he probably read about it. His reading list is eclectic and informative.

James studied astronomy and was an amateur stargazer. He took his son to watch sunrises and go on adventures fishing and camping and he coached Little League for a time. As a young man, James played basketball and volleyball, batted left-handed in baseball, and ran marathons. He loved music and motorcycles, travel and art. He was an incredible photographer, capturing moments in stillness that sometimes even surprised him. And he was a good hugger, a really good hugger.

James loved his family and friends, his dogs, his work and his coworkers, and ultimately, he loved his life, appreciating the technology that extended his life twice. He sometimes spoke about how artificial valves and a pacemaker allowed him time to become a Quaker and experience true beloved community.

He is survived by his wife Joni, two brothers, numerous in-laws, his son and a stepdaughter, grandchildren and a great grandchild, nieces and nephews, and many friends.

Click HERE to download the full Memorial Brochure (PDF)