James DePriest

ORAN, Mo. -- James G. DePriest, 79, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, after a brief illness.

He was born Jan. 21, 1936, in St. Louis, and raised in Southeast Missouri. He graduated from Oran High School in 1953 where he played on the varsity basketball team.

Jim spent the bulk of his professional career in sales, management, and company ownership in the wholesale grocery business in Southeast Missouri, St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri. He was a member of National Food Brokers Association, and was a founder and first president of Springfield Food Brokers Association.

After many years of family vacations in "the Promised Land" area of Bull Shoals Lake, Arkansas, Jim and Lee Anna retired there in 1993, moving to Mountain Home in 2007. They were blessed to enjoy 22 years of active retirement and travel together.

Jim spent his most recent years as a volunteer at St. Peter the Fisherman Parish in Mountain Home, where he was the first president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Baxter Regional Medical Center and the Baxter County Sheriff's Department. He was recently recognized as the Reserve Deputy of the Year for 2014. He served on the board of directors of the Center of Hope in Mountain Home.

Jim is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lee Anna Hartle DePriest; two sons, Brad DePriest (Maureen) of St. Louis and Scott DePriest (Mike Stasio) of Seattle; and a daughter, Michelle Bray (David) of Rogers, Arkansas. "Papa Jim" is survived by four beloved grandchildren, Ann DePriest of St. Paul, Minnesota, Tom DePriest of St. Louis, and Adam and Zach Bray of Rogers, Arkansas; a sister and brother-in-law, Frances and Charlie May of Elgin, Illinois; a stepbrother, Bill Wimsett of Rochester, Minnesota; and three nieces and their families. Jim was a friend to many and a stranger to none.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James R. and Ione Hale DePriest, and a sister, Katherine Crump.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, with the Revs. Stan Swiderski and Christopher Okeke as celebrants.

A visitation and luncheon will follow in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, P.O. Box 298, Mountain Home, AR 72653. Memorial Masses are also appreciated.

Arrangements by Roller Funeral Home in Mountain Home.

Visit our online guest book at rollerfuneralhomes.com.