Stone Gardens : Burial in 1951 of enigmatic WWII veteran in Haskell County leaves lingering questions

In the quiet embrace of Haskell Cemetery, on the border of Muskogee and Haskell Counties, lies James Everett Kimes Sr. (1906–1951), a World War II-era veteran whose life of service and sacrifice resonates with the heart of our region.

Born in Porter, Oklahoma, on April 1, 1906, James’s story weaves through the rugged landscapes of early 20th-century Oklahoma, military duty in the Pacific, and a legacy of heroism as the son of a Civil War veteran.

James grew up in the rural communities of Porter and Springhill, Wagoner County, where oil fields and family farms shaped daily life. Son of James A. Kimes, a Civil War soldier, and Floy Kimes, young James learned the value of duty early on. Alongside siblings like Emmett, Myrtle, and Beatrice (“Sis”), he faced the challenges of frontier life and the Great Depression.

Educated in local schools, James’s formal learning gave way to practical skills honed through necessity.

His early adulthood was marked by grit and adaptability. After a brief U.S. Army stint in Hawaii during WWII, which was cut short when his family raised $300 to secure his discharge for hardship, James joined the Civilian Conservation Corps.

In Tulsa and Morris, he built infrastructure that still serves Oklahoma today.

Marrying Bonnie Epperson in 1929, he welcomed a daughter before the marriage ended. In 1935, he wed Vesta Wilma Nowlin in Arkansas, raising three children, including James Everett Kimes Jr.

Later, in Hawaii, he married Fusako “Scarlett” Ohara, with whom he had a son, William.

Whispered tales of covert government work added intrigue, as he once told his sister, “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies.”

James’s military service defined his later years. Serving about 12 years with the U.S. Army, including WWII and postwar reconstruction, he worked as a civil service engineer in the Philippines, Korea, and Japan. Stationed at Camp Hakata with the 24th Infantry Division by 1948, he helped rebuild war-torn regions, leaving a quiet mark on history.

Tragically, cancer claimed him on August 3, 1951, at age 45, in a Japanese Army hospital. Returned to Oklahoma, James was laid to rest in Haskell Cemetery with full military honors on August 8, 1951, following a service at Haskell’s Baptist Church.