Obituary of James Harwin Boyce

James Harwin Boyce, aged 75 years, of Talladega, Alabama, passed away on Friday, November 27, 2020, at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, from a combination of heart attack and stroke. He will be dearly missed. James was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to his late father and mother, James Boyce and Lois Ruth Benson. He is also preceded in death by his beloved wife of over 33 years, Carole Fulmer Boyce, whose kind heart, sense of adventure, and sass perfectly matched his generous nature, sense of humor, and willingness to join any adventure thrown his way. The fact that he decided to leave us at the start of the holiday season may have been to join in adventures of the spirit and to avoid our offers of turkey instead of the steaks and shrimp that was their favorite holiday fare. In one of his last conversations he said how fortunate he was to have found her to be his partner, and we are all made a bit happier knowing that they may be reunited. James is survived by his brother: David Wayne Boyce, Sr.; his children: Cynthia (Cindy) Porche (Kevin Porche) of Johns Creek, GA, Robert (Bob) Armbrester of Fort Collins, CO, Alicia Armbrester of Kingston, NY, Shannon Darby of Talladega, AL. He has 7 grandchildren: Skyler Shaddix and Colton Carr of Talladega, AL; Ryan, Britney, and Logan Porche; Ainsley and Mera Armbrester-Baisch; 2 great-grandchildren, Lyric Wilcox and Rory Porche; nieces Beth Gerhardt and Angela Funderburk (Brian Funderburk and children Josh and Emma); nephew David Boyce, Jr.; and Carol Ann Armbrester (nee Gambrell), mother of his children and close friend always. Although his friends were too many to count, you were doubtless one of them if you are reading this. We sometimes try to guess what name which of his friends called him: often called Harwin by his childhood friends and family, he was James to those friends who perhaps simply may not engage in nicknames, and he was Jim to the rest of his friends, especially later in life. His family either called him Dad, Paw-Paw, or Grandpa Jim; but, he always insisted that he would come along even if you called him “Hey, You!” Still, it was his grandchildren and great-grands who gave him such great joy and his commitment to his many relationships that made him such a well-loved member of any group. He was already missing his Saturday and other weekly outings - if you were in those groups, he would want you to pick up those gatherings again, as soon as you can safely do them. Just remember: “You can’t eat ice cream through a mask.” All who knew him describe him as a loving, kind, and generous man. He served in the United States Navy, proudly, and was able to spend time in Germany during that period, starting his family there with the birth of his first child. Upon returning to the States he and his family eventually settled in Talladega, and it became home. He was an avid road cyclist and always enjoyed time outdoors and exploring whatever life brought him. Jim worked at Georgia Pacific and made lasting friendships there until 2004, when an explosion at the plant found him rushing into a fire to help. After that incident he lost his sight and his eyes and had glass eyes custom painted in colors to match his children’s eyes. He and Carole found long friends among the hospital staff and began a new journey together. With help from his family and the community of Talladega, Jim made strides in learning the new skills to adapt. They spent much time with people at Alabama School for the Blind and Alabama Industries for the Blind. With friends and technology he was able to read books, stay up-to-date on news and world events, go to services at his home church, and enjoy weekly gatherings to discuss and solve all the world’s problems. His grandchildren in Talladega helped him with all the daily and weekly activities and provided company and family traditions. He and his children had weekly extended phone calls, as he also did with his friends. We always knew to allow 5-10 minutes to say goodbye and once agreed that, just as Hobbits have second and third breakfasts, we had second and third goodbyes. Early in his residence in Talladega, Jim put up a radio tower and set out to find connections through amateur radio. He continued this until his death, and found great joy, mirth, and true friendships with his ever-expanding ham radio group and those people he met throughout the world. Through these conversations he was able to tap into the lives of many unsuspecting ham users and share time doing what he loved: talking about life, sharing jokes, and learning about the lives of others. These friendships were as valued as others he built in his life. A funeral service for Mr. Boyce will be held at 2:00pm, Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020, at the First United Methodist Church of Talladega, Pastor Minnie Bailey officiating. Friends and Family may attend visitation between 1:00pm and 2:00pm prior to the service and you are asked to wear masks and social distance. Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega is directing services. No flowers, please. Instead we request that memorial donations be made to Alabama School for the Blind or Alabama Industries for the Blind.