James, Paul Martin Jr. “PJ”
60, of Perryville, Missouri, passed away on February 14, 2019 at his residence, surrounded by family and dear friends. He was born February 22, 1958 in St. Louis, Missouri to his late mother, Sue (Heim) James-Gendron and late father, Paul Martin James, Sr.
He is survived by his beloved significant other, Carmelita Hudson-Kane, and her children, Joseph and Roy Kane, his beloved son, Ryan Sullivan (Sarah Grider-Sullivan), dear grandchildren, Kylie and Ben Sullivan. He was the beloved brother to late Kathy Morales, Helen (James) Bateman (late Rick Bateman), Skip Gendron (Sandy Gendron), Theresa (James) Deets (Dan Deets), he is also a beloved uncle and great-uncle. PJ was also known to have many beloved “brothers from another mother”, all of whom deserve an honorable mention and will miss him dearly.
It’s most difficult to summarize the story of PJ’s life in just a few words, even he would likely be challenged, despite his unique ability to tell the most amazing anecdotes and stories. In short, he fully embraced his love for life. He never met a stranger, forged amazing friendships, used his astounding sense of humor and use of euphemisms to lift others up, turn a bad day into a good one, and ultimately bring out the best in everyone he met. He was a simple man: a true friend, a first friend, selfless, kind, gentle, fun-loving, laughed often, loved deeply, courageous, insightful, and silly to his core. He inspired many with his wisdom, once saying, “He who dies penniless, knows how to budget.” He often provided encouragement, advice, and support to others while dealing with his own challenges in life. In his free time, he loved playing guitar with brotherly friends, was known to even sing a tune or two, enjoyed a variety of music genres, the beauty of nature, fly fishing, and going on float trips with dear friends and his beloved dog, Bocephus. Many would say he was like no other . . . one of a kind, loved, cherished, and embraced by all. He truly brought joy to each and every life he touched.
He devoted 42 years of his life as a die-maker and CAD designer for Butler Brothers Steel Rule & Die Company and took great deal of pride in his work, being a perfectionist of sorts. He was also the VP of the Bevo Association, a Boy Scout leader, and member of the Perryville Garden Club.
Although he battled pancreatic cancer for 4-1/2 years, he aimed to uplift others also struggling with cancer, and coined the phrase, “Life is too short to wear boring socks.” Additionally, he and his army of PJ’s Purple Squid supporters participated in the annual Pancreatic Cancer Foundation walks to raise money and awareness to wage hope for cures. He was all inspiring and never ever gave up hope, until he ultimately lost his hard-fought battle. He insisted that his passing be a time of happiness, versus sadness, and in true PJ fashion, he quite beautifully left us on Valentine’s Day, where the true essence of love would forever be imprinted in our hearts. He dreamed of a day when he could lay in a hammock between two palm trees by a beautiful beach in paradise. He has finally arrived.
We will miss you terribly, but feel incredibly blessed to have had you in our lives. May God bless you and may you rest in eternal peace!
We would like to send out a special thank you for all the love and support that his treatment team provided at BJC Siteman Cancer Cancer.
Services: Visitation at Kutis Funeral Home,South County Chapel, 5255 Lemay Ferry Rd.,St. Louis, MO 63129, 314-894-4500. On Saturday, March 2, 2019. Visitation from 1-5 p.m., with Memorial Service from 3-4 p.m.