Michael "Punk" G. James

Michael G. "Punk" James

Funeral services for Michael "Punk" James, 32, of Bozeman, Mont. (formerly of Newcastle and Casper, Wyo.) were held Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Newcastle. Pastors Gene Hagerman and Al Simms officiated. Burial followed in the Newcastle Greenwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorials be sent to P.O. Box 350, Newcastle, Wyo. 82701, for a later established memorial.

James died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho on Sept. 1.

He was born July 13, 1958 in Heidelberg, West Germany, to Michael D. and Francis M. (Sedgwick) James while his father was serving in the U. S. Army. The first 12 years of his life were spent on the family ranch south of Newcastle, where he attended country schools of Seven Mile Community and the Cheyenne River School. Later, he transferred to grade school in Newcastle.

He was very active in junior rodeos and 4-H. He won the all around cowboy saddle at the Weston County Junior Rodeo when he was 10. He was also Top Junior Horseman in the 4-H at the Wyoming State Fair that year.

In 1971, he moved to Casper with his mother and attended Poison Spider School, Dean Morgan Junior High, and Natrona County High School. During his summers he participated in junior rodeos and later helped his mother gallop and train race horses. He became a race horse trainer in 1977, helping his mother at various tracks throughout several states. He was an assistant starter on the starting gate crew at Centennial Race Track, the Downs at Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and various fair meets in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota.

In May 1981, he married Karen Killebrew of Albuquerque, N.M. They became parents of a son, Tom, May 20, 1983.

During the 1980s James worked as a driller, field superintendent, and trouble shooter for various drilling companies in Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, California and Idaho.

Survivors include his wife and son; his father, Mick James of Casper; his mother, Francis Martin of Casper; one sister, Kelly Daniels of Gillette; one brother, Tracy James of Casper; his grandfather, L.T. Sedgwick of Newcastle; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

McColley Funeral Home of Newcastle was in charge of arrangements.

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