Minnie James

Services celebrating the life of Minnie Audrey Marie James, who lived 101 years, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, February15, 2025, in the Rosser Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Angela Dunaway will officiate.

Minnie Audrey Marie James passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Cleburne, Texas. She was born in Hugo, Oklahoma on March 13, 1923, to Walter L. Funk and Eliza Marybelle Hannon Funk. 

Audrey married Toy Lee James on November 27, 1942, in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Toy Lee, Audrey, and their family traveled extensively during his 33-year military career. She was faithful in serving the Lord and His people through much of her lifetime. She has been a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, and friend to many.

Audrey met her husband, Toy through her brother, Frankie and his wife, Juanita. Frankie and Toy worked together in the 3 C’s camp in New Mexico and later at the potash mines. Frankie and Juanita attended a meeting one night and took Audrey with them because they wanted her to meet Toy Lee. As they entered the building it was full of people and very noisy but they heard a very loud and distinct “Laugh” in the distance. They told Audrey, “I don’t know where he is but, ‘That is Him’, there was no mistaking that laugh.” And that was how they first met and the rest is history.

They met, married, lived and traveled together for years. Toy traveled overseas several times during his military career and twice his family went with him. With Toy going ahead of them, Audrey took their children, Walter and Winnie all the way across the sea twice to Germany. She was a worrier, but that was one of the many ways she chose to love.

Audrey was in the Women’s Auxiliary during WWII and later worked for the Post Exchange at Fort Polk, Louisiana and in Germany. She later retired from Safeway Grocery.

During all these times, Audrey found the time and strength to lovingly take care of her sister and other members of her family, with the welcomed help of her first DOUBLE cousin, Leon Funk and his wife, Ruthie, both of whom preceded her in death.

Audrey spent her last years in Cleburne, Texas, living in her own apartment community, she was self-sustaining. She loved her coffee and pop tarts in the morning; fried potatoes, red beans, onion, and cornbread was her kind of meal.

She worked part time in her last years for the Jaycees and Lions Club. She attended her church faithfully and contributed much to the services. Audrey loved her family and tried to keep the peace wherever she went. She was headstrong but loving and very quiet spoken (most of the time). She was a doer but also liked to read biographies of movie stars, although she read her Bible the most. Audrey called her baby sister Jo Crystal almost every day. She enjoyed her family and friends…she will be missed.

She is also preceded in death by her parents; husband, Toy Lee James; brothers, Herman and Frankie; sisters, Mattie Elizabeth and Jo Crystal; son, Walter Lee James; and grandson, Charles. 

Audrey is survived by her daughter, Winnie Grantges and husband, Jim; daughter-in-law, Camille James; many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.