James Arthur

Balloon

James Arthur Balloon was born on May 22, 1950 in Marion, South Carolina to the late Hamyer and Bertha (Montgomery) Balloon.

James sadly passed away, earning his wings on Tuesday May 18, 2021. He was 70 years of age.  James, like so many young men of his time, attended school in Marion.  With a hope of a better life, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts where his older sister Betty and her husband John Hemingway lived.

In his new hometown, he learned to travel the streets of Roxbury and Dorchester, negotiating the various bus routes and riding the "T".  He was always looking for an opportunity to do better, trusting those close to him to help guide him along. One of his best opportunities for doing better came when he met the young woman who would eventually become his wife. On November 14, 1970, James married Eula Pearl Dublin, formerly of Albany, Georgia and moved to Chelsea, Mass. The two would soon become three when they welcomed their beautiful daughter Tracey Laverne.

A willing worker with aspirations of always improving his life, James was initially employed at Northeastern University. He also worked for The Macken Company, the Veterans Administration Hospital, the Thomas Strahan Wallpaper Company and retired from Gans Tire Company, Inc. of Malden, Mass.

James loved laying on the couch, watching westerns and drinking Pepsi. He loved to take rides to Boston to his sister Betty's house to see what she was cooking. He so loved her chicken. James loved talking on the phone with his brother Ronald in South Carolina. He especially loved eating ice cream with his granddaughter Aaliyah who he nicknamed Baby Girl!

Left to mourn his loss are his lovely wife of 50 years Eula, his daughter Tracey Balloon-Trotman and her husband Maurice and his granddaughter Aaliyah Trotman.  Also mourning his loss are his siblings Betty Hemingway and her husband John of Boston, Ronald Balloon and his wife Dean, Robert Balloon and his wife Olivia, Norzell Balloon and his wife Flossi, Catherine Turnell and her husband Frank, all of South Carolina and Emma Jean Balloon of Boston. In addition, mourning his loss are brothers-in-law, Tommie Lee Dublin and his wife Renee of Lynn Mass and Ulysses Dublin of Jamaica Plain, Preceding James in death were his parents and his brother Jimmy Lee Balloon.

James had some special people in his life who were especially important to him including nephews Carol and Karl Balloon of South Carolina, Anthony and Michael Hemingway of Boston, his Aunt, Louise Robinson and cousin James (Bob) Robinson Jr. both of Chelsea. James also has a host of cousins, nephews and nieces in South Carolina, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey and Washington that will also miss him dearly.

ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend his Home Going Service at the Welsh Funeral Home on Thursday May 27th at 11:00 AM.  Visitation will precede the service from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.

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