James Stokes

With broken hearts we announce the passing of Jimmy Stokes, SR.  Please continue to life his son and daughters along with his extended family in your thoughts and prayers.

James Franklin Stokes (Jimmy) was born in Panama City, Florida on February 7, 1943, to John and Frances

Stokes. The youngest of three boys, by 10 years, Jimmy was doted on by both of his parents.

He grew up in Apalachicola. He started school at Chapman Elementary, and in first grade, met the love of

his life, Margaret Anne Cooper, while they were sitting in class, she threw up down the back of his shirt. It

was love at first sight or something.

As he got older, he and his friends were always finding mischief. At one point, they rode his Harley

motorcycle with 7 boys clinging to it. There was also a fairly regular game involving a 1936 Chevrolet

sedan with no doors in the tall grass at the airport. There was a great potato war and a water balloon fight

that escalated into throwing buckets of water. Boys will be boys.

He graduated from Chapman High School in 1961. One of his favorite sayings was that while Margaret

Anne graduated Cum Laude, he graduated “thank the Laude.”

Jimmy and Margaret Anne were married on November 3, 1962. He had several jobs around Apalachicola,

even losing part of a finger on his left hand while working on the construction of the St. George Island

bridge. He finally found his career with St. Joe Telephone and Telegraph Co.

His oldest daughter, Nancy, was born in 1964, followed 16 months later by another daughter, Sharon. To

help support his quickly growing family, he joined the Florida Army National Guard. He soon found that

serving his country and all the opportunities the Guard provided made it one the best decisions of his life.

He was trained in field communications which helped with his work at the telephone company and was

able to travel to far flung places like the Panama Canal, England, Puerto Rico and Germany, to name a

few. He returned with stories of howler monkeys, camping in the jungle and walking through the snow of

the German countryside. He liked the food and drink in Germany the best.

His two sons, James Franklin, Jr. and Robert John, joined the family in 1968 and 1970 making a boisterous

household, and he would watch the antics of his children with a smile.

As the children grew up, Jimmy and Margaret Anne were able to buy a small sailboat and loved cruising

Apalachicola Bay for many years.

They lived at Indian Pass for several years and finally settled at his parents’ house on 7th street in

Apalachicola.

Jimmy retired from the telephone company and the National Guard after 30 years with both. He was

most proud of achieving the rank of Master Sergeant.

Jimmy is preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Margaret Anne, and his youngest son, Robert John. He

is survived by his daughters Nancy Shuler (Michael) and Sharon Anthony (Kenneth), his son James F.

Stokes, Jr. (Jessica), eight grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and many life-long friends.