I was in Mississippi when I received the news of James’ death. I called my Aunt Jo Ann later that day and asked what could I do. She said, if you can do his eulogy, that would be enough. Aunt JoAnn, I am honored to do this, and I thank you.

For I am happy to be the nephew of James A. Pharis, Jr. A man who was true to himself and his families’ values, who loved his family and others with the reflected love of our Lord Jesus Christ. A man whose uncommon upbringing, professional excellence, and relationship with God can only lead us to describe as a righteous man.

As I was considering some time back what I might say at a time like this..(For Brother John Harris, James’ pastor, friend, and comforter suggested I might be asked), it struck me how inadequate man’s names for people are to describe what they are. No one noun or adjective will do it.

So, I began to make a mental list of what James was and is, and kept adding to it day by day. And I arrived at this chronology of names:

When James was born he became a "son" - to J.A. Pharis, Sr., and Florrie Humble Pharis, on December 25, Christmas Day, 1925, in Pineville, Louisiana. I understand it was not a hospital birth, but at home with a midwife, as was common in those days.   At the same time, he became a "brother" to F. Jean Pharis, my father, whom he in later years referred to as his "elder"; then later, to Emma Jane Pharis, later Peterman and her twin sister, Helen Clare Pharis; and later to George O. Pharis.

He became a student/graduate of Bolton High School in __________; and of University of Southwestern Louisiana, now University of Louisiana/Lafayette, with a degree in biology and mathematics.

During his youth, he became a "son" again, when accepted Christ as his savior, as evidenced by his baptism at First Baptist Church of Pineville, Louisiana.   At that time, he also again became a brother with rest of the Family of God here on Earth.

He was therefore, a "member" of First Baptist Church, and was for many years. But for the these last several years, was a member of his beloved Pineville Park Baptist Church, where he was a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and performed many other functions ministering to others.

And, of course, he became a "husband", to his beloved, Jo Ann M. Pharis, one fine day in 1951, at a ceremony in Pineville, Louisiana;

He became a "father"; first, to Anne Kathleen Pharis, known as Kathleen; then to James Richard Pharis, known as Jim, then to Jonathan Scott Pharis, known as Scott, and "father in law" to Tawnya Pharis, Jim’s wife.

"Grandaddy", is also one of his names; s the result of a special gift at the ripe young age of 59 or 60, a gift from Kathleen of her son, Jonathan Pharis, now age 15.

"Lawyer" is how James was known professionally.  James, myself, and my father Jean, have always eschewed the term "attorney", believing "lawyer" more closely identifies us with the common people James strove to counsel, guide, help, and represent in 38 years as a Central Louisiana member of the Bar.

He was a "partner" in the law firm of Pharis & Pharis, with Jean, beginning in 1962, and later with me, when I joined the firm in 1983.

Which brings me to the term "teacher". I practiced law with James for 17 years, and he taught me many things. Courage, for one, to not be afraid of your adversary in the face of a daunting challenge;  professionalism, to try hard to represent your clients, in the world of the law, James hard a large impact. In one case, James represented the family of a young boy who lost his foot to a riding lawn mower when it was backed over him by another family member, a tragic occurrence. Now, there is a mechanism for disengaging the blade when one is put into reverse. That’s not to say James was solely responsible for this change, but he was a part of it.

James was well respected by the legal community. He represented people who sometimes didn’t have the access, or the economic power, to ordinarily be able to do what others could do in the system. Judge Harry Randow told me the story two or three weeks ago of how James was asked to join a large law firm early in his career. If he had joined the firm, he would have become more famous, more well known, not just in Central Louisiana, but throughout the state, and certainly would have been more wealthy. Instead, James decided to stay with his brother and practice law representing the type of people I described.

But, his lessons to me weren’t just in the professional realm. Once James and I were having lunch on a workday. This was the 2^nd or 3^rd year of my young practice and we were talking of a person down on his luck, or perhaps, just an immoral individual, an outcast, and a convicted criminal. James had done something kind for the man outside, above, and beyond mere legal representation; and I inquired, why, why do this for this man?

I’ll never forget what James, said, "Because Christ died just as much for him as he did for me. I am ashamed to say I hadn’t already realized this basic principle/tenet of the Christian faith, and I am forever grateful for James straightening me out.

Poet - James was an accomplished poet and published many poems on M.D. Anderson’s website, on "James’ Poetry Page", designed to help others see the hope that cancer patients can have in God. He belonged to a poetry society, named in a tongue-in-cheek way, the Not Quite Dead Poet’s Society

Photographer, carpenter, machinist, heavy equipment operator, at least with regard to his Kubota tractor.

I truly believe that James would have been an American pioneer had he been born one or two hundred years earlier. He didn’t believe there was anything he couldn’t do if he only had the equipment! to do it.

And, of course, we can’t forget fisherman, especially with Jo Ann as his partner. Sometimes, I envied you Aunt Jo Ann, because I knew you were very likely to catch fish with Uncle James. The best I could do, was to hog his honey holes, when he let the word slip where they might be. We became so good at rustling his fishing spots, after he would give his fishing reports at the office, that I coined the term "firm fish finder" to describe him.

One could fill a book with stories and anecdotes about James’ adventures, and not surprisingly, James had done just that. The Izzard of Was is a great reading of what it was like to be in his shoes growing up. James had an uncommon upbringing, although he would not have said it was anything, if you had asked, but common. With stories such as The Ghost of Pleasant Hill and The Mule and Sixteen Gauge Goose Egg, it is very entertaining. And still on sale at Books, Etc., here in Pineville. I"m waiting for the movie to come out.

I could go on for hours with other names and adjectives, but this last, compared to all other will stand out, not only to men, but to those residents of what we call Heaven. And finally to our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all men must one day give an account.

That name is "minister". Somehow God had planted, by grace, in the person of James A. Pharis, Jr., the ability, capacity, and sensitivity to take this terrible disease and turn its sting into triumph.

Brother John Harris once in a sermon told his own struggle trying to come to grips with the same disease which tragically took the death of a young boy. The why question, why would God allow this kept coming up.

Brother John, I believe you stated the answer was that it didn’t come from God, this disease, but from some other source, perhaps unworthy of mention.

But our God, is a glorious God. If not for James’ disease, but especially if not for God’s power to work through humans to comfort others and show His grace, in real human terms, there would be hundreds, and I believe thousands, of others with head, neck or other kinds of cancer whom without James’ help, might still be lonely, feel hopeless, or be stuck in despair.

James, along with Brother Harris, led a cancer support group in Pineville. He ministered through his poetry page at M.D. Anderson’s website, he counseled and comforted many. I personally saw James once download as many as 250 emails from various people who wanted to correspond with him. He ministered through his membership and legal counsel to Central Louisiana AIDS support services. He ministered through the prayer list at this very church, with many names supplied by James, which helped so many. Through his counsel and legal representation of Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services.

Through James’ and JoAnn’s chance meetings with people at M.D. Anderson or Rotary House, where they stayed during their trips to Houston, many were minstered to. I recently received a call from a lady named Connie Bronnenberg not too long ago who was inquiring about James. She was from Ohio, I believe, with neck cancer.

I hope it is not too bold to say that in these last 13 or 14 years of James’ life, the years of his affliction, his words, his actions, his example, and his testimony, are worthy of the most note of any similar period of his life or anyone else’s.

"Minister" - God has called us to be such. James discharged that duty, I believe, and will continue to do so in an earthly manner, through memories of him and through the memorial plaque at M.D. Anderson hospital, and in the testimony of his life.

Now, he has become a graduate of the Earth, a transferee into the kingdom of Heaven; face to face with the Lord; in a place of no more pain, no more tears, no more suffering.

I am proud to be the nephew of James A. Pharis, Jr., and I am happy to have felt his effect on my life and to have observed his effect on the lives on others, as well.

Jo Ann, we love you, Kathleen we love you, Jim we love you, Scott we love you, Jonathan, we love you, and we will be with you.