September 29, 1901 – September 26, 1985
Department Commander 1961, 1962

Obituary

Bath – Walter B. James, 83, of 3 Drummond St., a retired employee of Bath Iron Works, died Thursday at Bath Hospital.

He was born in Portland, a son of Oliver and Agnes Griffin James, and attended schools there.

After serving a seven-year apprenticeship, he was an iron molder at Portland Stove Foundry and later at Noyes Stove Foundry in Bangor.

Mr. James came here in 1930 and was employed in the carpenter shop of BIW for 33 years.  He retired in 1966.

After retiring, he was a crossing guide for the Bath School Department.  For the past two years, he was a parking lot attendant for Bath Iron Works.

He was a member and past master of Solar Lodge of Masons and a past secretary of the Montgomery and ST. Bernard Royal Arch Chapter.  He was a member of the Sons of Union Veterans and served two consecutive terms as its state commander.

Mr. James was a member of the Bath First Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife of 61 years, the former Doris Butler of Bath; two sons, Paul D. James Sr. of Topsham and Leroy M. James of Alburquerque, N.M.; three daughters, Mrs. Jon (Shirley) Bourque Jr. of Bath, Mrs. Charles (Arlene) Clark of Encino, Calif., and Ellen Smith of Valencia, Calif.; a brother, Leroy James of South Portland; four sisters, Hazel Davidson of Sebago Lake, Mildred Hammond of New Hampshire, Mrs. Edward (Corrinne) Cummings of Portland, and Mrs. Freeman (Doris) Groves of South Portland; 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

His son, Walter B. James Jr. died in 1938.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Arthur F. Mayo and Son Funeral Residence, 819 High St.  The Rev. James E. Fisher will officiate.  Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, Bath, Sagadahoc, Maine