James Edward French, 74, of Christiansburg, departed this life Monday morning, December 16, 2013 at Lewis-Gale Montgomery Hospital in Blacksburg. Born in Giles County on August 30, 1939, he was a son of the late Homer Clayton French and Mamie French Bowles, and grew up in the Wolf Creek-Narrows area of the county. He had been employed with Poly-Scientific in Blacksburg and with Montgomery County Schools for over thirty years and was a veteran of the U S Navy. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Maxine Gautier and Elizabeth Price.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife Mildred Blankenship French; his sons David and his wife Laura French of Floyd, Calvin French of Christiansburg, Jimmy French and his fiancé Amy Stanley of Christiansburg; his daughters Sally and her husband Dale Shumate of Christiansburg, Sue Shrewsbury of Dublin; his seven grandchildren; his eight great-grandchildren; his mother-in-law Elsie Blankenship of Ripplemead; his sisters-in-law- Alma Whittaker and Linda Stephens; his brother-in-law and his wife Danny and Becky Blankenship; and his beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2:00 pm in the Kendall Funeral Home, 605 Snidow St., Pembroke with Pastor Gary McCoy and Pastor Eddie Kendall officiating. Burial will follow in the Dotson-Clark Cemetery on Wolf Creek above Narrows. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday evening from 6 until 8 pm. Online condolences may be sent by visiting kendallfuneralhome.com.