Mr. James Milton Stackhouse

James Milton Stackhouse, known affectionately to friends and family as "Dickie" was born on April 2, 1942 in Richmond, Virginia. He was not only the firstborn from the marriage of James Arthur Alexander and Almeta Louise Stackhouse, but also the firstborn of his generation. As the oldest of five children, and being a doting older brother, he was adored by his younger siblings, often denying his own self to provide for the needs and joys of those around him, whom he loved dearly. He would carry this generosity and sense of giving as well as his joy of life with him for all of his days. He attended Northwestern High School in Detroit Michigan. There he was a star athlete primarily in the sport he loved most - football, but this was not the only sport at which he excelled. He was gifted at all athletic endeavors: baseball, track and field, but was likely best at boxing. He attended the historically black Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, on a football scholarship, and could have parlayed his skills into a professional career in any one of the aforementioned sports, but chose instead to serve his country by enrolling into the United States Army, where again his athletic skills won him favor and acclaim. Throughout his life sports would be one of his true passions, and it gave him great joy seeing his children and grandchildren participate in athletic activities at every level. He was a hard worker and often worked two jobs, doing what was necessary to support his family. He worked for a time at the Ford Motor Company, and finished his working career as an officer at Ryan Correctional Facility. He was retired for the last two years of his life. He was from a religious family, but he was not deeply religious. However, he was certainly a spiritual man, giving all praise to the son of God and his heavenly father, Jehovah. He knew much about love and kindness, and demonstrated it everywhere he went. Dickie loved life as much as anyone, finding joy in nearly everything from pickles and apples, to airplanes and the beauty of women. But it was his children in which he found a special unsurpassed joy. It would be later, and in the following generation of children- his precious grandchildren, nieces and nephews, -that he would share the lessons of the ages and tell what became known as "Dickie stories." "Hug my neck" was a phrase of his -demanding affection and teaching it. It would be his grandchildren that gave him a great sense of pride and he showed his support at every opportunity, while battling the effects of cancer for almost two years. He departed from this world on July 28, 2013. He gave to this life seventy-one years of the purest love and joy, leaving many more years of loving, cherished memories to special friends, cousins, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, “adopted” family, coworkers, neighbors, and all of those he loved. He will be dearly missed.

Mr. James Milton Stackhouse

April 2, 1942 - July 28, 2013