Daniel "Danny" Victor James Jr.

Obituary- Daniel Victor James Jr.

Daniel “Danny” Victor James Jr. passed away Saturday, January 25, 2025, at his home in Creswell, Oregon, after a long illness. Danny was the 3rd child born to his parents, Daniel Sr. and Judith Ann (Bellew) James, on October 25, 1967, in Junction City, Oregon. The family moved to Halsey in 1968. Danny lived there with his family until he was 9 years old and attended Brownsville Grade School through the 3rd grade. In 1976, his family moved to Hillsboro, Oregon. He attended Hillsboro schools and graduated in 1986 from Glencoe High School. Throughout high school, Danny worked for Burger King restaurants. The family moved to a small farm near the town of Banks, Oregon, in 1988, where they had goats, horses, geese and other animals. Danny attended Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, for 2 years and graduated as a heating and air technician. He returned to the Hillsboro/Banks area and worked in his field for McCall Oil with his dad. He didn’t last there because of his tendency to crash company vehicles. He worked several places including Burger King as a maintenance man, Edwards Center (a home for special needs individuals) also as a maintenance man, and the Banks school district as a custodian.

Danny, his parents, and younger siblings moved to Crooked River Ranch, Oregon, in 1995. They lived on a small farm where Danny enjoyed raising pigs, helping care for their horses, and chasing their llama who often got lost. They even jokingly named their home, The Lost Llama Ranch. Danny went to work for Brightwood Molding Mill in Madras, Oregon. Danny’s father, Dan Sr., passed away in 2000. This was very hard on Danny as they were very close, and he greatly respected and admired his dad. Danny always wanted to be like his dad from childhood up and until the day he died. Danny continued to live at home and help his mother until she moved to Lexington, Oklahoma, to be near her daughters and grandchildren in 2002. Danny continued to live around Redmond/Terrebonne, Oregon, until around 2010, when he made the decision to move to the Eugene area. He lived in Springfield for a time and then bought a house and lived in Creswell for the remainder of his life. He worked for a short time at a small cabinet shop and then was hired at Lanz Cabinets. He worked there for 13 years up until the last week before he passed.

Danny was baptized on September 4, 1982, at the age of 14, by Bro. Daniel Easter, in Prineville, Oregon, at a church campout, into the General Assembly and Church of the First Born. He was a faithful member of the church all of his life. Danny never married, but the faith and the brethren were his life. He greatly loved children, and dozens of them, many who were no blood relation, called him “Uncle” Danny and adored him. Danny loved his family: his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins. He enjoyed a good family reunion and was involved in planning at least two.

Danny loved to travel amongst his church brethren and made many, many trips across the country to visit various church assemblies and his numerous friends and relatives, and often held meetings when he visited. He was never too busy to go if he felt he was needed. In his later years, he was able to take a trip to the Holy Land, and he loved it so much. He enjoyed telling stories of what he had seen and done there.

He had a great love for bluegrass music and had a large library of CDs and tapes to prove it. Does anyone want one or 5? Please feel free to take one from the basket in the kitchen after the service. He attended many concerts, often taking his mother with him. Danny even spent a few years learning or attempting to learn to play the fiddle.

Danny had quite a sense of humor and was always up for a joke or a prank. He definitely appreciated his own humor. He was infamously known for his poor driving skills, and many prayers were prayed for his safety when he embarked upon another road trip. As a teenager, no one wanted to park near him at church for fear of getting a dent in their car.

Danny’s main goal in life was to live the faith and help others to do the same. He spoke many times of how helping others would cause the giver to reap encouragement also. Danny suffered with his illness for several years but tried not to let it get in his way of helping others, attending church, going where the Lord sent him, and working to provide for himself. God granted him great strength and mercy to do the things he felt led to do. God always made a way.

Danny was preceded in death by his mom and dad, Dan and Judy James, two brothers, Richard and Luke, three nephews, Landon Bunch, Troy and Nathanael Damelio, and one niece, Trista Fitzjarrell. He is survived by two brothers and three sisters, Michael James and wife, Tammy, of Banks, Oregon, Jason James and wife, Erin, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, Shelly Nere of Percell, Oklahoma, Angela Fitzjarrell and husband, Kevin, of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and Melinda Damelio and husband, Joe, of Lexington, Oklahoma. He is also survived by 17 nieces and nephews, a host of great nieces and nephews, many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous friends and brethren.