
Randall Paul “Randy” James...
Randall Paul “Randy” James, the second son of Lyle and Maxine James, was born January 25, 1949, and entered into eternal rest on March 12, 2025. Randy married the love of his life, Karen Holloway Arnold, on August 26, 1995, and with this union Randy gained a stepson, Jeremy Arnold.
Randy accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior as a young man and was a charter member of Trinity Baptist Church in Willow Springs, Missouri. He graduated from Willow Springs High School with the class of 1967, where he left a legacy as a linebacker for the Willow Springs Bears, earning numerous All-Conference honors. Randy continued his education at Arkansas State University, where he was involved in Army ROTC, the Kappa Alpha Fraternity and earned a bachelor’s degree in business. Following college graduation, Randy became an officer and proudly served his country as a combat engineer with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, earning the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was honorably discharged February 6, 1972.
Randy worked as a heavy equipment operator, a quality control inspector for Systems Electronics Incorporated (SEI), and in many capacities including a locomotive engineer for the Burlington-Northern Railroad, where he retired in 2016.
Randy is preceded in death by his parents, Lyle and Maxine James.
He is survived by his wife, Karen James; stepson, Jeremy Arnold; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Gary and Kay Holloway; brothers: David (Linda) James, Timothy (Cindy) James, and Matthew (Jimalee) James; sister-in-law, Kenna (Kent) Cameron; brother-in-law, Brad (Vickie) Holloway; nephews and nieces: Amy James (Brent Turner), Robert (Sarah) James, Katie (Erik) Montgomery, Megan (Brendon) Wilson, Lindsey (Logan) Schwalm, Taylor James, Jenson Cameron, Chelney Cameron, Peyton Cameron, Austin Holloway, Trenton Holloway, Piper Holloway, and Kennedy Holloway.
A celebration of life for Randy will be held at Willow Springs Thomas F. Benyo Municipal Golf Course on March 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions in Randy’s memory may be sent to the Willow Springs Scholarship Club. Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of Cremations of the Ozarks. To leave an online condolence or a memory, please visit www.cremationsoftheozarks.com.