Wilton "T-Babe" James, Sr.

St. Martinville – A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at 11 AM at Notre Dame Catholic Church in St. Martinville for Wilton James Sr., 89, who peacefully departed this life and went on to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 24, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Lafayette, LA. The family requests that visitation be observed at Pellerin Funeral Home from 7 AM to 10:00 AM on Saturday. Reverend Cyriaque Sounou, SVD, will be the celebrant of the Mass. Wilton “T-Babe” James, Sr. was born in St. Martinville, Louisiana on June 22, 1931 to the late Fergust and Alberta James. Wilton was united in holy matrimony to Genevieve “Fee” Jean-Batiste on March 1, 1954. This union was blessed with fourteen children, Jackie, Kathy, Wilton Jr, Clyde, Wilbert Sr., Paula, Hayward, Paulette, Jennifer, Christopher, Harvey Sr., Wiltonette, Christine, and Christina. Even though Wilton didn’t graduate from high school, he was a very wise man. He used his agricultural mastery to produce bountiful harvests of okra, corn, peppers, watermelons, and sugar cane for the family while working on the family farm. Wilton worked every day of the week to provide for his wife and fourteen children. He was employed by J.B. Talley Construction Company for 31 years. In addition to his regular workweek, he routinely worked on the weekends as a self-employed freelance brick layer. After his retirement from JB Talley, his brick laying and cementing jobs became his primary occupation. In his spare time, Wilton loved fishing, hunting, turtle trapping, dancing, playing Bingo, and trying his luck with Louisiana Lottery scratch-offs. But his most treasured activities were cooking and spending time with family. There are not many people around these days that can cook turtle, rabbit, catfish coubion, tripe, gumbo, or dirty gravy like Wilton. He loved to cook, and he made sure that a place was set for anyone and everyone who either dropped by or was home visiting. As a model citizen in the community, Wilton was given the key to the City by the Mayor of St. Martinville at his 80th Birthday Party, an honor only given to a select few individuals. Wilton’s enormous strength, caring personality, and loving influence will forever remain in the lives of everyone who knew him. He leaves to cherish his legacy and memories a very loving and devoted family: eight daughters, Jacqueline Jones (Scoby), Kathy Bourda (Sandy), Jennifer James, Christina Bernard (Bobby) all of St. Martinville, LA, Christine James of Lafayette, LA, Wiltonette Francis (Teddius) of Carencro, LA, Paula Jones (John) of Missouri City, TX and Paulette Charles (Dobie) of San Antonio, TX; six sons, Wilton James, Jr., Clyde James, Hayward James (Felicia) and Christopher James all of St. Martinville, LA, Wilbert James, Sr. (Mona) of Carencro, LA, and Harvey James, Sr. (Sherelle) of Lafayette, LA; two sisters, Shirley Charles of St. Martinville, LA and Antoinette Hypolite (Joseph) of Galveston, TX; four brothers, Jessie James (Earline), Robert James (Joann), Leonard James and Wilson James; 22 grandchildren and, 12 great-grandchildren, along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Genevieve, parents, Fergust and Alberta James, five brothers Fred, Wilfred, Arthur, Jeffery and Calvin; and two grandchildren Little Christine and Jeremy. Pallbearers will be Bobby Bernard, Jr., Sandy Bourda, Sr., Neil Bourda, Dobie Charles, John Jones, and Wayne Charles. Honorary pallbearers will be Wilton James, Jr., Clyde James, Wilbert James, Sr., Hayward James, Christopher James, Harvey James, Sr., Scoby Jones,Ted Francis, Jessie James, Leonard James, Robert James, and Wilson James. Pellerin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements