James R. Wess Sr. 1940-2025

James was born May 7, 1940, in Youngstown, a son of Clarence and Clara Brummert Wess.

He grew up on the East Side with the large Wess family, building Christmas tree forts on Ayers Street. He met the love of his life, Martha, at East High School, graduating in 1959, starting a family and then moving to Hubbard in the early 1960s, a place he would affectionately call God’s Green Acre.

Jim worked in the maintenance department at General Motors for many years until he retired in 2004. He was a part of the Brotherhood of the Broom and a UAW member.

Jim was a coach for the Giants football team of Hubbard’s midget football league, and he proudly coached the Patton Sparkle Market Little League and the Astros minor league baseball teams. He served on the board of the Hubbard Community Youth League and was also a Hubbard auxiliary police officer. He had a lifelong devotion to the New York Yankees.

He was a member of Unity Baptist Church of Youngstown and Corner House Christian Church of Hubbard.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, the former Martha V. Kettering; and all of his siblings, Lou, Leo, Ed, Tommy, Johnny, Grace and Marty.

He will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by his family: his children, Jim (Alison), Patti, Michael (Gina), Laura and Kathleen; and his seven grandchildren, Andrew (Nicole), Amanda (Coda), Katie, Gabe, TJ, Tori and Jax.

Known as Papa by his grandchildren, he was the patriarch of the family who were taught to love deeply, play to win but play fair, and drive safe. He passed on a strong work ethic and a quirky sense of humor made funnier by his interesting pronunciation of words.

There will be calling hours 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 21, 2025, at Stewart-Kyle Funeral Home.

Services will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at the funeral home, with calling hours 10 to 11 a.m.

James will be laid to rest in Hubbard Union Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Jim’s memory to Hubbard Community Youth League, P.O. Box 208, Hubbard, OH 44425; or Corner House Christian Church, 6954 Chestnut Ridge Road, Hubbard, OH 44425.

Family and friends are invited to visit the funeral home’s website at www.stewart-kyle.com to share memories and condolences.

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