Marsha James

Marsha Ann Youngblood James, age 87, left this life to be with her Lord, Jesus, on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at her home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Marsha was the only surviving child of Charlie William Youngblood and Lillie Pauline (Tong) Youngblood. She was born at home in a canvas house in the Magnolia Camp in Kilgore, TX on June 15, 1936. While an only child, she enjoyed the company of the many cousins who lived close by. Born in the middle of the Great Depression, her family moved frequently during Marsha's childhood as her father sought employment in a variety of professions including breaking and training thoroughbred horses, commercial and residential painting, driving ambulances and law enforcement where he was deputy chief of police in Texarkana, TX during the war. Pauline contributed to the family income by running a small grocery store, working as a seamstress and selling women's clothing, home cleaning products and was one of the first saleswomen for the newly launched Sarah Coventry Jewelry in the early 60's. She dreamed of going to Kilgore Junior College and being a Kilgore Rangerette, but in 1951, the family moved to Snyder, TX. Marsha enrolled at Snyder High School where she participated in the yearbook committee and graduated in 1954. While living in Snyder, Marsha met the love of her life, Marlin Charles James. They married in Snyder on September 2,1954 and remained married forty-seven years until his untimely death in 2001.

Early in their marriage, the couple moved frequently where Marlin worked both as a roughneck and carpenter in the booming oil fields of West Texas. Marsha found work in retail and secretarial roles. Her career of choice, however, was to be a fulltime wife and mother. The James' moved from West Texas to Las Cruces, NM in 1963 where Marsha became an underwriter at Farm Bureau Insurance. The family moved to Albuquerque, NM in 1975. There Marsha enjoyed retirement and was an active member of the ladies group at church.

In 2005, Marsha proudly received an Associates Degree in Medical Transcription online from San Juan College in Farmington, NM. This was long before online learning was commonplace and quite an achievement.

Marsha cherished the memories of traveling with Marlin in their RV. They visited almost all 50 United States and much of Canada. After his passing, she traveled with family to England and with friends to Ireland - both bucket-list destinations. Her family was especially important to her and she loved spending time with them. As a young girl she played piano and preferred big band/swing and early country music the most. Marsha was quite the horsewoman in her youth, owning several horses including a Shetland pony named Champ, that often rode in a taxi to the firestation to get a bath! Her favorite pastimes were reading mysteries, watching westerns, playing dominoes, and entertaining in her home. She was a faithful Christian, and at the time of her passing, a member of Northeast Church of Christ in Albuquerque.

She was preceded in death by her father, Charlie William Youngblood, her mother Lillie Pauline (Tong) Youngblood, an infant brother, and husband, Marlin Charles James and grandson, James Michael Briggs. She is survived by daughters, Marla Cay "Marty" (James) Hill and Melissa Ann (James) Briggs; grandchildren Shelby Kaye (Briggs) Baker, Collin Tyler Hill, and Hayley Elizabeth (Briggs) Smith; great-grandchildren Jackson James Baker and Norah Eden Smith.

A memorial service will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at Northeast Church of Christ. A private graveside service will take place at a later date at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Albuquerque, NM.

In lieu of, or in addition to flowers, a donation may be made in-memoriam to the charity of your choice or to the Albuquerque Christian Children's Home.