James Cecil Mallory, 79, 440 Touvelle St., Celina, died at 7:15 a.m. Nov. 24, 2008, at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Hospital.

He was born Sept. 26, 1929, in St. Marys, to Cecil and Ruby McKinley Mallory. On April 3, 1953, he married Thelma Jones, who survives in Celina.

Other survivors are two sons, Kevin (Marla), Celina, and Kelly (Sally), Decatur, Ind.; a daughter, Colleen (Mike) Goodspeed; a brother, Dennis (Robyn), New Knoxville; three sisters, Corky Youngs, and Diane Creeden, both of Celina, and Suzie (Bob) Eilerman Montezuma; a brother-in-law, Gene Spicer, Celina; 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Deceased are three infant children, James, Walter and Colleen Sue; a sister, Naomi Spicer; a brother-in-law Bill Youngs; and a great-grandson.

He was the water department supervisor for the City of Riverside, Calif. and was employed by Southwest Architectural Castings, Phoenix, Ariz., and was a Mercer County Sheriff's deputy. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Celina, a member and past commander of the American Legion, Rialton, Calif., the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Loyal Order of Moose Lodge, both in Celina. He served in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and was a 1947 graduate of Celina High School.

Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at the Lehman-Hogenkamp-Dzendzel Funeral Home, Celina, the Rev. Kim Miller officiating. Burial, with military honors, is at North Grove Cemetery, Celina.

Calling is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday and one hour prior to service on Saturday at Lehman-Hogenkamp-Dzendzel Funeral Home, Celina.

Contributions can be made to the church.

Condolences can be left at www.lhdfuneralhome.com.