James Marshall Waldeck

James Marshall Waldeck

James Marshall Waldeck, 73, of Sissonville, WV, but a resident of Winston-Salem, NC, passed away on August 31, 2024, after a brief illness.

In 2018, Jim and his wife, Gail Waldeck, retired to North Carolina to be closer to their daughters: Jennifer Waldeck Hurak (Gene) and their children, Olivia and Allison, and Jayme Waldeck Cranfill (Jamie) with her stepchildren, Alyssa and Luke.

Jim was the youngest son of Roger Lee Waldeck and Olive Neely Waldeck, both of Sissonville. He was born in South Charleston, WV, on February 13, 1951.

Jim graduated from Sissonville High School in 1969 and earned a B. S. in Education from West Virginia State University. Later, he pursued further education, obtaining a Master’s in Special Education from Marshall University.

Jim’s unwavering dedication to the children and families of the Sissonville community was evident through his decades of service as a teacher and coach. A native of Sissonville, Jim spent over 50 years shaping the lives of countless athletes as a dedicated coach in football, baseball, basketball (girls' and boys'), and girls' track. He found his greatest passion coaching middle school athletes, spending most of his coaching career at Sissonville Middle School. While also teaching Special Education at Sissonville Middle School, he truly enjoyed the relationships he built with the many teachers and staff he worked with.

In addition to coaching, Jim was a die-hard Mountaineer fan, NASCAR enthusiast, and avid hunter. From childhood until his last days, his favorite place was his family’s farm in Reedy, WV. He cherished this special place with his good friend, Richard (Dicky) Cooke, and other friends and family. Together they enjoyed sharing the love of the farm with his son-in-law Gene Hurak, who looks forward to continuing Jim’s traditions.

Since retiring, Jim and Gail have enjoyed traveling frequently with Jim’s brother, Roger Lee Waldeck Jr., and cousin, Amelia Ann VanVoorhis. Moving to North Carolina also allowed Jim to spend quality time with his cousins, Janie Bailey (Bill) and Mary Ann Blankenship (Mike), sharing many fun times and reminiscing. Most importantly, he cherished spending time with his grandchildren, cheering them on in their sports and activities.

Jim felt especially blessed to have a special relationship with his cousin Raven Asay Miller, whom he regarded as a third daughter, and her children, Lincoln and Channing Miller, that he considered bonus grandchildren.

For the past 17 years, Jim’s constant companion was his beloved dog, Smokey, who continues to search for him.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on September 14, 2024, at Center Church of Welcome (186 Center Church Road, Lexington, NC 27295) with visitation an hour prior to the service. The family would also like to share that there will be a Service in Sissonville, WV at Aldersgate United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. on October 20, 2024.

He was preceded in death by his father, Roger Lee Waldeck; mother, Olive Neely Waldeck; parents-in-law, Bill and Gay Alkire; sister-in-law, Barbara Waldeck; brother-in-law, Marcus Alkire; and special cousins, Charles (Herky) Asay, Emily Nelson, and Ed James.

Surviving Relatives:

• Wife: Nina Gail Alkire Waldeck

• Daughters: Jennifer Waldeck Hurak (Gene) and Jayme Waldeck Cranfill (Jamie)

• Granddaughters: Olivia and Allison Hurak

• Step-grandchildren: Alyssa and Luke Cranfill

• Brother: Roger Lee Waldeck Jr. of Hot Springs, VA

• Brother-in-law: Tim Alkire (Kathy) of Jacksonville, FL

• Sister-in-law: Billie Jo Alkire Simoneau (Peter) of Deland, FL

• Nieces and Nephews: Roger Lee Waldeck III (Shannan) of Millboro, VA; Amy Waldeck Walton of Mebane, NC; Johnathan Alkire (Nikki) of Charlotte, NC; Zach Alkire (Sierra) of Fernandina Beach, FL; and Alexis Simoneau Langley (Dennis) of Tallahassee, FL.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the “Jim Waldeck Memorial Fund” for a Memorial Bench to be placed at Sissonville Middle School football field in his honor. Donations can be sent to Wesbanco of Sissonville, 6409 Sissonville Drive, Charleston, WV 25312