Reverend James M. Black

Reverend James M. Black, 99, of Haubstadt, IN, was promoted to Heaven Saturday, April 30, 2022, from River Oaks Health Campus in Princeton, IN.  He was born to the late Monroe Franklin and Wretha (Fair) Black on November 5, 1922, in Decatur, IL.

He was a member of Enon General Baptist Church, Princeton, IN.

He was welcomed into Heaven by his parents, beloved wife, Shirley, sisters Eleanor Black, Helen Million, Lola Mae Boyer and Barbara Lehr, brothers, Bill Black, Dale Black and Don Black, and his granddaughter, Lauren Duckett.

James married his sweetheart, Shirley, November 3, 1945, shortly after returning from WWII.  They enjoyed 74 years as devoted soul mates.  They raised 5 “good kids” (their terminology): Sue (Perry) Mosbey of St. Charles, MO, Michael (Peggy) Black of St. Charles, MO, Tina Duckett (Steve Wheeler) of Malden, MO, Becki (Steve) Anderson of Haubstadt, IN and Russell (Joy) Black of Belleville, IL; 10 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.  He is also survived by two wonderful caregivers, Deloris Anderson of Fort Branch, IN and Vanessa Rosa of Princeton, IN, without whose help, the quality of his life the last 18 months would have been very diminished.

James often joked that the U.S. government provided him with a walking tour of Europe beginning February 10, 1943, and concluding in October 1945.  He served his country in World War II as an infantryman in the US Army, I Company, 3rd Batallion, 16th Infantry Division. His service began with the D-Day invasion at Normandy, France and continued through the end of the war. Black attained the rank of Corporal Technician 5th Grade. His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, two Purple Heart Medals, the European Campaign Medal with five major campaign stars (Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe), the Combat Infantryman Badge and the French Fourragere.

James was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan.  In 1938, he traveled from the tiny town of Elsinore, MO to the big city of St. Louis to see his first Cardinals game.  In his mid-20’s, when living in St. Louis and working nights in city bus maintenance, he would leave work, wait for the stadium to open, purchase a seat in the nosebleed section and sleep until time for the Cardinals game to start.

As James was boarding the landing craft during the very early morning hours of the D-Day invasion, he prayed for God to keep him safe and in return, he would do whatever the Lord asked of him upon returning home.  Once home, he wrestled with “the call to preach” for 6 years.  He submitted to that calling and was ordained as a General Baptist minister in 1951.  James served as pastor of Fairmount General Baptist Church, St. Peters, MO, Lone Oak General Baptist Church, Malden, MO, Cedarview General Baptist Church, Granite City, IL, Brown Chapel General Baptist Church, Broseley, MO, North Main General Baptist Church, Poplar Bluff, MO, Enon General Baptist Church, Princeton, IN, Bethlehem General Baptist Church, Fort Branch, IN and numerous other interim and associate positions.

Funeral Services will be on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at Stodghill Funeral Home in Fort Branch, IN with Pastor Tammy Scheller officiating, and again on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. at Landess Funeral Home in Maldin, MO with Reverend Clint Cook officiating. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stodghill Funeral Home and again on Thursday, May 5, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Landess Funeral Home. Burial will be at Missouri State Veteran Cemetery in Bloomfield, MO at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Oakland City University. 

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