James Thomas Litchfield age 84, passed away Friday, July 26, 2013, in Kirksville, MO. He was born on November 3, 1928, in Knox County, Missouri. He was the son of Huse William Thomas and Agnes Dillinger Litchfield. He attended school at Sweet Oak in Knox County, Missouri and La Belle High School in La Belle, Missouri.
He married Doris Lorene Rogers on January 9, 1949. They resided on family farms in Knox and Lewis counties. They have two daughters, Judy Litchfield of Quincy, Illinois and Donna Sparks of Kirksville, Missouri also surviving are two grandsons, Andrew Sparks of Augusta, Georgia and Aaron Sparks of Holly, Michigan.
James had a great love of sports. He played basketball at La Belle High School and continued to attend games for the rest of his life. He was a fan while his daughters were involved in basketball and cheerleading at LaBelle High School and at Highland High School. He followed his grandsons in football, basketball and baseball while on traveling teams and school teams in Kirksville and continued attending basketball games for his nephews and nieces at Marion County High School including four consecutive years at the state tournament.
James was a farmer all his life with grain crops and cattle. After retiring, his farm was managed by Alan Glover and Art Simmons.
Besides his wife and daughters, he is survived by a sister in law, Lottie Glover and husband Alan of Newark, Missouri, nieces and nephews, Linda Sharpe of St. Charles, Missouri¸ Rick Sharpe and wife Becky of Shelbyville, Missouri, Mike Sharpe and wife Abbie of Quincy, Illinois, Matt Glover and wife Dana of Lewistown, Missouri, Ginnie Scoggin and husband Jamie of Quincy, Illinois, Ben Glover of Newark, Missouri. He also loved the many great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Mary Sharpe.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at the Coder Funeral Chapel in LaBelle, MO. Reverend Charles Sharpe will officiate the services. Burial will be in the LaBelle Cemetery.
Music will be provided by Wendeline Brumbaugh.
Casket bearers will be Robert Sparks, Randy Scoggin, Matt Glover, Ben Glover, Tommy Lasswell and Craig Myers.
Honorary bearers will be Art Simmons, Glen Scoggin, Kenneth Corbin and Ralph Kessler.
Visitation will be held after 4 p.m. on Monday, July 29, 2013, with family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Coder Funeral Chapel in LaBelle, MO.
Memorials may be made to the Kirksville Baseball and Softball Association, the Newark Cemetery Association or the LaBelle Cemetery Association.