Obituary of James A. Flower

James A. Flower, age 72, of Tempe, Arizona passed away Saturday, March 20, 2021 at Osage Beach, Missouri.

James was born September 7, 1948 in Oswego, New York, the son of Arlington and Edythe (White) Flower.           

James served in the U.S. Air Force from November 1967 to November 1971. After his service James lived in Waukesha, Wisconsin for about 10 years.  There he met and married Anna Elizabeth Kooman. They married on August 3, 1973 and to this union was born three children. Cameron Stuart Flower was born October 18, 1975 and Kevin James Flower was born May 19, 1978. They then moved to Arizona in January 1982. Sabrina Ann Flower was born December 31, 1982.

James  was a gentle, soft-spoken man, that knew what he liked and kept to his routines. You could take him to lunch or dinner and you knew exactly what he wanted before he sat down. He could talk sports all day every day.  On any given day you would find him watching some kind of sport, cheering for his Green Bay Packers (HUGE Packers fan, GO Pack GO), the AZ Diamondbacks or his kids. He was super proud of his kids and would brag about us to anyone that he came into contact with. Growing up you would always find my dad at the baseball fields, coaching or cheering on his kids in baseball. He loved to read and watch movies, his book and movie collections were vast. He absolutely loved and adored his grandchildren and had the upmost patience. He would sit and play with them for hours. Like his kids, he would brag about them to any and every one. A perfect day would be sitting on the couch, watching sports, the grandkids bringing him toys while eating his chips and dip or any variety of nuts (cashews and pistachios were his favorite).

James is survived by his son Cameron Stuart Flower, wife Nicole Renee Flower, their children Amber Elizabeth Flower, Natalia Amila Flower, Kameryn Nicole Flower, Liam Stuart Flower, Taylor Alise Lara Quinonez, Mia Angelina Quinonez; his son Kevin James Flower wife Nicole Siobhan Flower, their children Clara Grace Flower, Luci Hope Flower, and Holland Joy Flower; his daughter Sabrina Ann Funkhouser, husband Wesley Alan Funkhouser, their children Madelyn Flower Soholt and Connor Clayton Funkhouser; his siblings Nadine Belk, Leland Flower and wife Joyce Flower, Donald Flower and wife Julie Flower, Linda Gutwein and husband Rex Gutwein, Rebecca Hendricks and husband Mike Hendricks; and other relatives and friends.

James was preceded in death by his youngest brother Thomas Carter Crumbliss and his parents.

A Celebration of Life Service with full military honors will be held Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 10:30 am at Hedges-Scott Funeral Home in Camdenton, Missouri.