Cmsgt. Marvin Leverne James, Sr., Usaf (Ret.)

Retired Chief Master Sgt. Marvin L. James, the son of the late Mr. Jessie Cleveland James II and Mrs. Mary J. Guiles Thomas was born on March 3, 1949 in Winston Salem, NC as the second born of their union. He was reared under the guidance of his Aunt Victoria and Uncle Theo Duncan in Pamplico, SC.

Marvin was inquisitive at a young age, asked questions and began to set his course in life. After graduation from Gibbs High School in 1966, he joined the United States Air Force in June 1968. His military career began at Lackland Air Force Base, TX. After basic training, Marvin was stationed at Chanute AFB in IL. He often stated that with a dormitory of more than one hundred people and being the only black for a substantially long period of time, he slept with one eye open. His first permanent duty station was Dover AFB in DE. Just as he was getting accustomed to his new surroundings, his duty assignment changed to DaNang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. He served in Vietnam for a year before returning back to the states. He was then sent to MacDill Air Force Base, FL. By this time, Marvin had been promoted to Sergeant. For two more years, Sergeant Marvin James served as Chief, Periodic Inspection Section, in Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, SC. He was finally closer to home but that didn’t last long. Within those two years, Marvin was then sent to Korat Royal Thai Air Forces, Thailand. He traveled the world, getting adjusted to military life, but something was missing. He was ready to settle down and married the love of his life, Mattie Genet Jackson on June 29, 1974. Marvin continued to achieve success as he progressed up the ranks in the Air Force while starting a family. In 1977, with a wife and two kids in tow, the family moved to McClelland Air Force Base, CA where they would reside for three years. The now, Tech Sergeant packed up again and moved his family to McGuire Air Force Base, NJ in 1980. This would be one of the longest assignments yet. The family of now five stayed in NJ for seven years. Now the Senior Master Sergeant became the superintendent for the aerospace space ground equipment in Charleston Air Force Base, SC. Closer to home again but only for a short while, the family packed up and moved to Lindsey Air Station, Germany in 1989. After being promoted to Chief Master Sergeant in 1990, the family was sent to Robins Air Force Base, GA in 1992, where they would call their home until his departure. Chief Master Sergeant Marvin James, Sr. retired from Robins Air Force Base in April of 1998 before starting his next career at Northside High School in Warner Robins, GA where he served as AFJROTC instructor for 19 years retiring in May 2017.

An active member of First Baptist Church, he served as a choir member, parking attendant, participant in the Black History program, and military ministry lead. Throughout the years, Marvin continued to engage with his former military Phantom football team members annually. He was a mentor, a father figure, and a friend to the young airmen while on active duty and remained as such throughout his life. He was always humble, a man of integrity, and showed love and kindness to everybody.

Marvin departed this life on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins, GA.

Marvin leaves to cherish in his loving memory, his beloved wife, Mattie Genet, three children: Tanisha Michelle Wallace (Chris), Marvin L. James II (Damita), and Tiffany O. Dent (John), two grandchildren: Tavon James and Yasmine Drew James, two great-grandchildren: Kaysen and Korbin James; sisters: Annette Brown (Tommy), Creola Mae Brown, Sarah Lynn Lucas, Burnette Davis (Marvin), Lucille James, Judith Spears, Palma Thomas (Darby); Teresa Seymour-Trusty, Susan Shaw (Dale); and two brothers: John Thomas (Michelle), and Jeffrey Thomas and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at McCullough Funeral Home. His service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 11, 2021, at First Baptist Church of Garmon Street. Mr. James will be laid to rest at Magnolia Park Cemetery. For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the First Baptist Church's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/210Garmon.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made to Northside High School, ATTN: NHS ROTC, 926 Green Street, Warner Robins, GA 31093.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.