James "Apple Jack" Applin's Obituary
“Reflections of Life”……………..James Applin better known as “Apple Jack” was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee to W. M. Williams and Alma Applin on December 25, 1923. He was an only child raised by his Great-Grandmother McGruder and later by his uncle and aunt, Emory and Ruth Applin.James’ Great-Grandmother taught him the bible so that he came to know Jesus Christ as the Lord of his life and was baptized at an early age. This foundation caused him to serve God and attend church faithfully throughout his life.James moved to to New York and joined the U.S. Navy during the World War II and was honorably discharged in 1949 after serving five years. He settled in San Diego, California and began a career with the city of San Diego in the Parks and Recreation Department, later the Waste Management Department and finally the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Point Loma which he retired from in 1993 after 44 years of city service.James was very involved with his Union, AFSCME Local No.127 and diligently attended union meetings in 1950 continuing even after his retirement in 1993, until 2002 when the site of the meeting was changed to distant location.James received awards and commendations from the Water Utilities Department, his Union AFSCME Local No.127 and was named “Employee of the Quarter” in October of 1992 by the City of San Diego Point Loma Maintenance Facility. In 2001 he was named “Senior Man of the Year” by The Church of the Loving God.James was a people person to whom no one was a stranger for long. If he saw you for the first time, he would ask you your name, marital status, how many children you had, etc… He would take the time to encourage co-workers to not give up and stay on the job. HE especially loved to reach out to young people to impart wisdom to them encouraging them to get jobs and keep them. He loved to deliver the Voice & Viewpoint to his friends and catch up on news around San Diego. He was a regular at Sister Pee Wee’s Soul Food Restaurant where he could be seen talking and socializing with whoever was there.James went home to be with the Lord on Monday, April 28, 2008 after fighting illness for three years. He was preceded in death by his parents, great-grandmother, uncle and a daughter, Betty Applin. He leaves to cherish his memory Linda Anderson and Leeandrus Knight both of San Diego, California; an Aunt Ruth Applin of Kingston, Georgia; seven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and a host of cousins, relatives, neighbors and friends.James “Apple Jack” Applin was interred at Riverside National Cemetery on Monday, May 12, 2008. His family decided to move him closer to home and on December 19, 2019, he was re-interred at Greenwood Memorial Park located at 4300 Imperial Ave., San Diego, CA 92113.James remains…”Forever In Our Hears”
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