Brenda Diane Daniel James, 69, of Hot Springs, died Aug. 13, 2019 in Hot Springs, Ark.
Born Dec. 19, 1949, at Nashville, Ark., she was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Lex and Minnie Belle Morton Daniel.
Loving survivors include: her husband of 33 years, John R. James, her son, Daniel Chris Rowland (Paige) of Hot Springs, her brother, Danny Daniel (Janell) of Nashville, her niece, Danna Snow (Clint) of Nocona, Texas, her “bonus” children, John R. James, Jr. (Katie) of Edmond, Okla., Kristina James Robertson (Bobby) of Kansas City, Kan., and Melissa James Garred (Dave) of Seattle, Wash. She also leaves behind her much loved grandchildren, nieces, aunt, cousins, and her very special cousin, Donnell Woods of Nashville. In addition she leaves her very good friends Darlene Reese, Pat Norris, Judy Oneal, Donna Kent, Vicki Bradley, Carol Hutson, Louise Buchanan, Pat Heusel, Jana Sims, Barbara Stallion, Connie Jackson, Shada Driver, Wanda Williams, Nancy Mayo, Janice Marsh, Teresa Bennett, Pam Geiger, Nancy Wright and Sophia Teal.
A Methodist in her faith, she was a graduate of Nashville High School class of 1967 and retired from AEP/Swepco after 35 years of service.
She was Secretary of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, past President of Howard County American Cancer Society, former Finance Committee member of First United Methodist Church of Nashville, and since her retirement to Hot Springs, she worked on many special and general elections for the Garland County Election Commission.
Diane was magic in a kitchen, a gifted and award winning cook. She hosted epic family Christmas parties and loved boating and vacationing in the mountains of the west. She was an avid reader and loved building houses, helping to build and design five homes for herself and her son, Chris. She often said she missed her calling as a general contractor.
Visitation for family and friends in Hot Springs will be at the home, 118 Oak Bend Loop on Friday, Aug. 16th from 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Visitation was at Latimer Funeral Home in Nashville on Saturday, Aug. 17th from noon to 2 p.m. Services immediately followed visitation with Jimmy Dale and Mike Reese officiating.
Burial following service was at Merrell Cemetery near Nashville.
Pallbearers were Conner James, Jackson James, Bobby Robertson, Dave Garred, Frankie Clayton and Tim Johnson.
Honorary pallbearers were Wayne Gaddis, Adrian Zachary, Wally Frazee, Jackie Daniel, Ricky Hutson, Lavon Flaherty, Phil Watkins and Chuck Easterling.
A special thanks to the Palliative Care team of Dr. Carrie Hyde and Leigh Maddison with UAMS, Lisa Jett, RN, with Arkansas Hospice of Hot Springs, and with Tony Smith of Davis-Smith Funeral Home of Hot Springs.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
