Eric Nathaniel James

DR. ERIC NATHANIEL JAMES, age 36, of Wolcott, Ct., born to the union of the late Edmond P. James, and his mother Jimella Laws of Birmingham, Alabama, transitioned and entered into eternal rest February 23, 2021. Graveside Service of Memory and Life Celebration is slated for Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. in Cokes Chapel Cemetery, County Road 9, Ward, Alabama. Visitation for family and friends is scheduled Friday afternoon (March 12th) from 3-6:00 p.m. in the Weatherly Chapel. Upon moving to Alabama, he joined Union Chapel C.M.E. Church and remained a member until he moved away to follow his passion of furthering his education in the field of science. Eric loved the Lord, family, and friends and encouraged others to do their best and supported minorities in the field of scientific research. He earned his Bachelor's of Science from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where he was a member of the Blue Pride Marching Tiger Band and initiated into the Kappa Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and the Epsilon Nu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha. He then joined Professional Science Master's Program at the University of Connecticut, followed by the graduate certificate program at UConn Health. He later went on to join the Institute for Regenerative Engineering as a graduate student in 2012. Dr. James displayed a strong passion for teaching and pursued a career in research combining genetics and regenerative engineering. He graduated with his PhD in 2015 and performed a post-doctoral fellowship at Tufts University. During that time, he also served as an adjunct professor of Newbury College and Quinnipiac University. In 2018 Dr. James joined the University of Hartford as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Environmental and Biomedical Engineering. Those who remain to cherish precious memories and to celebrate a beautiful purposeful life are: three children; Eric James II, Eric Jr and Leila Yara James; his mother Jimella James, two aunts; Annie (Lugene) Hicks and Linda Laws; two sisters Eria (Flander) Hall and Lisa Buggs, brothers; Antonio (Monica) Laws, and Andre Clayton; four nephews, Trey, Aidan, Brendan and Bryson; best friend Kerrick Delaine and many cousins, colleagues, students and friends. To the entire James Family, we at Weatherly Funeral Home, offer to each of you our most sincere and heartfelt sympathy and condolences. Our prayer remains that your abiding faith in God will continue to comfort, to strengthen and sustain you during your many hours of sorrow. Compassionate services under the direction of Jacqueline S. Weatherly, Thomas and Marla W. Jackson.