James Thomas Vest passed away on July 7, 2018 at Sierra Hills in Porterville, California. He was born in Atkins, Arkansas on September 22, 1925 to Alva Retta (Cotton) Vest and James Thomas Vest, Sn. He came to Porterville with his family arriving in Porterville on November 11, 1934 to see the Armistice (Veteran's) Day parade. He would always say that when he arrived in Porterville they had a parade for him.
He attended local schools graduating from Porterville High School in 1943. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the Navy. He was assigned to Amphibious Assault and was assigned to the USS Darke as a crew member of a Higgins Boat. He saw action in the landing troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was in Tokyo Bay and saw the surrender from a distance. He volunteered to stay in Tokyo with the occupation troops so the married men could go home. He was discharged in 1946.He met the love of his life while visiting his sister in Atkins, Arkansas. On June 1, 1948, he married Bonnie Sue (Mills) Vest and brought her back to Porterville.
He was employed for many years as a custodian for the Porterville School District. He left the school district to take a job with the State of California in landscaping at the Porterville State Hospital, now known as the Porterville Developmental Center. His favorite thing to do was to travel. There were many family summer road trip vacations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. After retirement, he and Bonnie traveled in their motorhome to every state except Hawaii. However, they did travel to Hawaii several times.
He was preceded in his passing by his parents James and Alva Vest, his wife Bonnie, his sisters Zula Barton, Hazel Peak, Genevieve Jones, and his brother Clovis.
He is survived by his son Kenneth (Shana) and his daughter Candice (David) Cantrell. Grandsons: David (Tonia) Cantrell, Jeremy (Shannon) Cantrell, Zachary Vest, Jason Kinnaird, John (Angie) Ellis and granddaughter Ashley Stinson. Great grandsons: Jake Cantrell, Cooper Cantrell, Ashton Arias, Gavin (Ashley) Kinnaird, Curtis Kinnaird. Great granddaughters: Jessika Kinnaird, Tristan Carlotta Kinnaird, Kimmie Kinnaird, Hannah Stinson, Mircea Kinnaird, twins Delanie and Piper Ellis. He is survived by numerous nieces and nephews also.
The family would like to thank Dawn Doty for the stellar care she provided to "Mr. Magnifcient", to Caring Hearts, and to Optimal Hospice.
There will be a viewing on Thursday, July 12, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Myers Chapel. Following cremation, he will be interned at Porterville Cemetery in a private ceremony at a later date.
James Thomas Vest
Published in The Porterville Recorder on July 10, 2018
He attended local schools graduating from Porterville High School in 1943. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the Navy. He was assigned to Amphibious Assault and was assigned to the USS Darke as a crew member of a Higgins Boat. He saw action in the landing troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was in Tokyo Bay and saw the surrender from a distance. He volunteered to stay in Tokyo with the occupation troops so the married men could go home. He was discharged in 1946.He met the love of his life while visiting his sister in Atkins, Arkansas. On June 1, 1948, he married Bonnie Sue (Mills) Vest and brought her back to Porterville.
He was employed for many years as a custodian for the Porterville School District. He left the school district to take a job with the State of California in landscaping at the Porterville State Hospital, now known as the Porterville Developmental Center. His favorite thing to do was to travel. There were many family summer road trip vacations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. After retirement, he and Bonnie traveled in their motorhome to every state except Hawaii. However, they did travel to Hawaii several times.
He was preceded in his passing by his parents James and Alva Vest, his wife Bonnie, his sisters Zula Barton, Hazel Peak, Genevieve Jones, and his brother Clovis.
He is survived by his son Kenneth (Shana) and his daughter Candice (David) Cantrell. Grandsons: David (Tonia) Cantrell, Jeremy (Shannon) Cantrell, Zachary Vest, Jason Kinnaird, John (Angie) Ellis and granddaughter Ashley Stinson. Great grandsons: Jake Cantrell, Cooper Cantrell, Ashton Arias, Gavin (Ashley) Kinnaird, Curtis Kinnaird. Great granddaughters: Jessika Kinnaird, Tristan Carlotta Kinnaird, Kimmie Kinnaird, Hannah Stinson, Mircea Kinnaird, twins Delanie and Piper Ellis. He is survived by numerous nieces and nephews also.
The family would like to thank Dawn Doty for the stellar care she provided to "Mr. Magnifcient", to Caring Hearts, and to Optimal Hospice.
There will be a viewing on Thursday, July 12, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Myers Chapel. Following cremation, he will be interned at Porterville Cemetery in a private ceremony at a later date.
James Thomas Vest
Published in The Porterville Recorder on July 10, 2018
James Thomas Vest passed away on July 7, 2018 at Sierra Hills in Porterville, California. He was born in Atkins, Arkansas on September 22, 1925 to Alva Retta (Cotton) Vest and James Thomas Vest, Sn. He came to Porterville with his family arriving in Porterville on November 11, 1934 to see the Armistice (Veteran's) Day parade. He would always say that when he arrived in Porterville they had a parade for him.
He attended local schools graduating from Porterville High School in 1943. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the Navy. He was assigned to Amphibious Assault and was assigned to the USS Darke as a crew member of a Higgins Boat. He saw action in the landing troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was in Tokyo Bay and saw the surrender from a distance. He volunteered to stay in Tokyo with the occupation troops so the married men could go home. He was discharged in 1946.He met the love of his life while visiting his sister in Atkins, Arkansas. On June 1, 1948, he married Bonnie Sue (Mills) Vest and brought her back to Porterville.
He was employed for many years as a custodian for the Porterville School District. He left the school district to take a job with the State of California in landscaping at the Porterville State Hospital, now known as the Porterville Developmental Center. His favorite thing to do was to travel. There were many family summer road trip vacations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. After retirement, he and Bonnie traveled in their motorhome to every state except Hawaii. However, they did travel to Hawaii several times.
He was preceded in his passing by his parents James and Alva Vest, his wife Bonnie, his sisters Zula Barton, Hazel Peak, Genevieve Jones, and his brother Clovis.
He is survived by his son Kenneth (Shana) and his daughter Candice (David) Cantrell. Grandsons: David (Tonia) Cantrell, Jeremy (Shannon) Cantrell, Zachary Vest, Jason Kinnaird, John (Angie) Ellis and granddaughter Ashley Stinson. Great grandsons: Jake Cantrell, Cooper Cantrell, Ashton Arias, Gavin (Ashley) Kinnaird, Curtis Kinnaird. Great granddaughters: Jessika Kinnaird, Tristan Carlotta Kinnaird, Kimmie Kinnaird, Hannah Stinson, Mircea Kinnaird, twins Delanie and Piper Ellis. He is survived by numerous nieces and nephews also.
The family would like to thank Dawn Doty for the stellar care she provided to "Mr. Magnifcient", to Caring Hearts, and to Optimal Hospice.
There will be a viewing on Thursday, July 12, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Myers Chapel. Following cremation, he will be interned at Porterville Cemetery in a private ceremony at a later date.
James Thomas Vest
Published in The Porterville Recorder on July 10, 2018
He attended local schools graduating from Porterville High School in 1943. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the Navy. He was assigned to Amphibious Assault and was assigned to the USS Darke as a crew member of a Higgins Boat. He saw action in the landing troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was in Tokyo Bay and saw the surrender from a distance. He volunteered to stay in Tokyo with the occupation troops so the married men could go home. He was discharged in 1946.He met the love of his life while visiting his sister in Atkins, Arkansas. On June 1, 1948, he married Bonnie Sue (Mills) Vest and brought her back to Porterville.
He was employed for many years as a custodian for the Porterville School District. He left the school district to take a job with the State of California in landscaping at the Porterville State Hospital, now known as the Porterville Developmental Center. His favorite thing to do was to travel. There were many family summer road trip vacations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. After retirement, he and Bonnie traveled in their motorhome to every state except Hawaii. However, they did travel to Hawaii several times.
He was preceded in his passing by his parents James and Alva Vest, his wife Bonnie, his sisters Zula Barton, Hazel Peak, Genevieve Jones, and his brother Clovis.
He is survived by his son Kenneth (Shana) and his daughter Candice (David) Cantrell. Grandsons: David (Tonia) Cantrell, Jeremy (Shannon) Cantrell, Zachary Vest, Jason Kinnaird, John (Angie) Ellis and granddaughter Ashley Stinson. Great grandsons: Jake Cantrell, Cooper Cantrell, Ashton Arias, Gavin (Ashley) Kinnaird, Curtis Kinnaird. Great granddaughters: Jessika Kinnaird, Tristan Carlotta Kinnaird, Kimmie Kinnaird, Hannah Stinson, Mircea Kinnaird, twins Delanie and Piper Ellis. He is survived by numerous nieces and nephews also.
The family would like to thank Dawn Doty for the stellar care she provided to "Mr. Magnifcient", to Caring Hearts, and to Optimal Hospice.
There will be a viewing on Thursday, July 12, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Myers Chapel. Following cremation, he will be interned at Porterville Cemetery in a private ceremony at a later date.
James Thomas Vest
Published in The Porterville Recorder on July 10, 2018
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