Douglasville's Mildred James, 83, was devoted caregiver

By Rick Badie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mildred James never married.

She, her two sisters and their father, John Will James, lived together in the same house in Douglasville for years.

As a young man, Mr. James lost an eye in a farming accident. In later years, cataracts blinded him. His daughters provided for him — cooking, cleaning and ferrying him to church.

“My grandfather had been the tax commissioner of Douglas County at one point,” said a niece, Janet Nash of Dallas. “When he went blind, they took care of him. Mildred was the baby of the family.”

Because of their benevolence, Ms. James and her sisters — Frances Inez James and Mary Florence James — are probably sitting up in heaven, said her brother, Robert Williams James of Powder Springs.

“Can you believe that all three got along and looked after him?” her brother said. “They were just as devoted to their church.”

Mildred Virginia James, 83, of Douglasville died Tuesday at Brian Center Nursing Care in Powder Springs from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. The funeral will be 2 p.m. Saturday in the chapel of Whitney-Garner at Rosehaven Memorial Park, Funerals and Cremations, which is in charge of arrangements.

Ms. James grew up in Douglasville, daughter of the late John Will James and Bobbie Rochelle McEachern James. McEachern High School in Cobb County is named in honor of her mother’s side of the family.

After Ms. James graduated from high school, she was hired by Southern Bell to work in its auditing and accounting department. She worked there 43 years. While employed, Ms. James played on Southern Bell’s all-female softball team, the Dixie Flyers.

“She and I grew up real close,” her brother said, “and we’d throw the softball or baseball back and forth to each other. When the softball team came up, I said, ‘Yeah, go ahead and play if you want to.’ ”

Trudy Conner of Lithia Springs has known the James family since 1965. She is a member of the same women’s group as Ms. James at Douglasville’s Midway United Methodist Church. Ms. James, she said, was an “absolute pillar” of the church, as were her two sisters and father. She taught Sunday school, served administratively and brokered peace.

“Mildred has gone on to be with the Lord, but here we are doing for her family what she did for so many people — on the phone, calling and getting in touch with people to help. This is what she did,” Mrs. Conner said.