James Earnest Staples, the first born child of Earnest Staples and the late Vera Mae Staples, was born on May 28, 1950 in Drew, Mississippi. It was on the morning of Thursday, August 21, 2014, that James departed this earthly life at the North Sunflower Medical Center, while surrounded by his father and other close family members. He was preceded in death by his mother, Vera Staples, two months ago. James graduated from Hunter High School in Drew, Mississippi and attended Mary Holmes Community College in West Point, Mississippi for one year before being stricken with Myasthenia Gravis. He went on to marry Josie Jackson-Rush and to this union, one daughter, Christy Staples, was born. At an early age, James accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and was a member of the Noah Memorial Missionary Baptist Church in Drew, Mississippi. James had a deep love for the Ruleville/Drew community. He never met a stranger and was born with the gift of gab. Known to many by the nick-name "Make-It-Hurt". James was a lover of basketball, football, and softball; he coached a semi-pro basketball team and the Ruleville Pirates softball team for several years. He also owned his own lawn service business and took much pride in his work. He worked tirelessly to help others, whatever their needs, and had a heart as big as the ocean wide.