Cover photo for James Inman's Obituary
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1924 James 2019

James Inman

January 9, 1924 — October 8, 2019

James Rudolph Inman passed away peacefully October 8, 2019 in Elizabethtown, NC. He was born in Fairmont, NC on January 19, 1924, the second child of James Hobson Inman and Annie Blanche Stephens. He was predeceased by his wife, Helen Gore Inman, four brothers, Jesse, Horace, Paul and George, and one sister, Emma Joyce Marshall.

Rudolph is survived by his children, Nancy Inman Newby, of Charlotte, James Wayne Inman (Debbie) of Charlotte, Helen Inman Kaleel (Richard) of Clinton. Five grandchildren, Reed Newby (Lisa) of Fort Mill, SC, Chris Inman (Natalie) of Charlotte, Lindsay Inman of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Ana Kaleel Holler (Adrian) of Morehead City and Caroline Kaleel Evans (Matthew) of Clayton, and one great granddaughter, Jadyn Newby of Fort Mill, SC.

Rudolph moved to Elizabethtown when he was 13 years old and fell in love with the outdoors, particularly Quail Hunting and Fishing.

At the age of 19, Rudolph was inducted in the US Army where he had an exemplary service record in the Fighting 551st Anti Aircraft Artillery Battery, 3rd US Army Division, better known as Patton's Army. His battles and campaigns included Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the American Theatre Medal with five Bronze Service Stars, the European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.  He was also a recipient of the Purple Heart, On June 15, 2016, he received the Legion of Honour, the highest honor awarded by French Order of Merit for military and civil merits established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.

In December 1945, Rudolph came home to his beloved Bladen County, the Cape Fear River and his quail fields. He joined his father in the service station business and later opened his own.

In 1947 he married his wife, Helen. Until the day he died, he referred to her as “the prettiest girl” he had ever met.

Rudolph retired in 1982 and became a hunting guide for the George Hi Plantation while continuing to operate their White Lake rental business. There, they met many lifelong friends.

Rudolph’s hunting and fishing brought in many accolades and he was featured in several publications including the New York Times, Field and Stream Magazine, North Carolina Wildlife and David Lee’s Book, Gulf Stream Chronicles.  He was also on the cover of the North Carolina Fishing and Wildlife Regulations Digest.

A Service of Life and Celebration will be held Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 2pm at Trinity United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the Fred Davis Activity Building and at other times at the home. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Trinity United Methodist Church Mission Fund, P.O. Box 759, Elizabethtown, NC  28337 or Liberty Hospice, 44 McNeill Plaza, Whiteville, NC  28472.

The family would like to thank the staff of Liberty Hospice, his caregivers Pam Davis and Sarah Smith and special friend Walter McDuffie.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Inman, please visit our flower store.

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