James Harold Childress

JAMES HAROLD CHILDRESS WEAVERVILLE – James Harold Childress, age 90, of Mountain View Drive died Wednesday, February 3, 2016. Jim was born July 13, 1925 in Greenville County, SC. He was a Navy Veteran of WW II serving on the LSM 59 which was sunk by a Japanese Kamikaze near Okinawa. After the war, Jim moved to Manhattan and attended The Art Students League of New York where he later went on to become a commercial artist working on Madison Avenue, Manhattan, NY and later Grover’s Mill, NJ. He was a resident of Merrick, NY until 1978. He then moved to Morrisville, PA where he lived until moving to North Carolina in Asheville in 1988 as proprietor of the Log Cabin Motor Court, and then retired to Weaverville in 2012. Preceding him in death are his parents, Gus E. and Velma Styles Childress; and wife Dawn M. Childress who died in 2008; sister, Bea Spivey; brothers, Charles Childress, Guss Childress, Herb Childress, and Gene Childress. Surviving are his daughters, Elizabeth “Betty” Moderno and husband Larry of Weaverville, and Karyn Schulte and husband Chris of Burbank, WA; sons, Timothy Childress of Rockville, MD, Bruce Childress and wife Delise of Weaverville, and Gary Childress of Rutherfordton; brothers, Robert “Bob” Childress and wife Maude of Livonia, MI, Fred Childress of Midland, MI; and sister, Hazel Fulmer of Deltona, FL; nine grandchildren, Natalie, Heather, Evan and Alison Childress, Michael Moderno, Jarrod, Brandon and Samantha Schulte, and Sarah Haines; six great grandchildren, Skylar, Mason, Greyson, Conrad, Henry, and Paul. Jim was a warm and caring man, full of life and had many accomplishments. His love of nature and the outdoors was reflected by his gifted, artistic and award-winning bird carvings, water color paintings and sketches. He was authentic and genuine, and in an understated but endearing way he had a quality that drew people to him. His uniqueness was no one thing, it was everything - it was his spirit. This is the lasting legacy of this dear man who was loved by many and will be dearly missed by them because of the way he touched their soul. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 9, 2016, in the Chapel of West Funeral Home, 17 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville, with Reverend Wesley Pike officiating. A private burial will take place in Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery. The family will greet friends following the service at the funeral home. Those desiring to make memorial contributions are encouraged to consider Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, PO Box 18711, Asheville, NC 28814. For those who desire, condolences may be offered to the family under Mr. Childress’ obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.