That’s how it’s been for decades — those in need of help shouldn’t be turned away.

The community-driven spirit that has now come to define James’ own life was instilled by her grandmother, Eunice, and mother, Victoria “Vickye” James.

“Both motivated me in the woman I am today,” James told The Post-Journal on Monday, two days after her mom, a member of the Jamestown City Council, died suddenly and following the passing of Eunice Faison on March 10.

Kiki James believes her mom learned her civic-minded ways — many geared toward assisting youth in the Jamestown area — at a young age from her own mother.

Pastor LeRoy Walker and Deborah Walker are pictured Monday inside Emmanuel Baptist Church with a basket Vickye James had planned to donate to the Salvation Army. James was a longtime member of the church and served a variety of roles. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

“I just think that was passed down,” James said. “My grandmother was the same way. When a non-family member needed a place to stay, my granny would help them. My mom was the same way.”

Kiki James said her mom’s life was defined by helping others, family or not. One such project highlighting this was upgrading the playground equipment at the former Chadakoin Park, a years-long effort that came to fruition in the summer of 2018.

“Her true passion was definitely helping others,” she said. “She always looked out for the people. Everybody came to her and our house was open to everyone. And if they had a problem, the came to her. She fixed it or she tried to fix it. Her true passion really was to help the community, not even just her district, but the whole city. She really held that all on her back.”

Kiki James currently resides in Alabama and is in the process of getting her master’s degree in public administration. She said working with people is certainly the result of growing up in a welcoming home, one that often hosted large weekend breakfasts.

“I’m a people person, I love making sure people are good and helping people grow and become better,” she said. “That was instilled in me and that has helped define me become the person that I am.”

While her mom was an elected official, serving on the Jamestown City Council representing Ward 3, Kiki James believes she wasn’t really a politician. Being on the board, she said, allowed her mom to connect with the community and learn of issues arising at the city level.

Mayor Eddie Sundquist said James’ death was a “shock to our entire community” in a statement released Sunday.

“I share in our collective sadness as we mourn the loss of an icon for Jamestown,” Sundquist said. “She was a council member who loved her community and fiercely advocated for our residents. Her decades of public service have made an impact on countless individuals that will continue well into the future.”

County Executive PJ Wendel noted that in addition to being on the city council, Vickye James served, from January 2006 to December 2013, on the county Legislature.

“I had the pleasure of working with Vickye when I first became a county legislator and she represented her residents well as she always took their concerns to heart and led in a way that was best for her community,” Wendel said in a statement. “It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of a great civic leader and public servant, who has been influential to so many people across Chautauqua County and the Jamestown community.”

Vickye James was remembered during a Sunday service at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Jamestown, where she had been a member for many year and served in a variety of roles. Pastor LeRoy Walker said James was a “very faithful member and good member of the church” who could be counted on to spearhead numerous projects and fundraisers.

“We were always able to depend on her,” Walker said Monday. “She was the type of person where if she was going to do something, she did it and you never had to ask or question her. There were many times when I would want her to call someone for me or write a letter for me — I would mention it and I never had to worry about it.”

Indeed, James’ loss will have an impact on the church, said Deborah Walker. She noted James’ role in helping the West 23rd Street church recently celebrate its 100th anniversary. Fundraising for the occasion included a Gospel Explosion concert at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, a task James took on along with her other duties, including teaching Sunday class and serving on several church committees.

“She was instrumental in all of what we did for fundraising,” Deborah Walker said. “We did pancake breakfasts after pancake breakfasts and she was instrumental in getting all of that going. She’d be right in the kitchen with us; she was just an amazing person.”

James’ involvement in so many activities — from her work with the church to her seat on the city council — often left the Walkers wondering where she found all the time.

“She’d be in a church meeting and the next thing you knew she’d be on TV for something to do with city council,” Deborah Walker said. “I sometimes asked her if she had clones running around. She was everywhere for the church and for the community.”

She added, “I don’t know what we’re going to do without her, and I miss her already.”