JAMES S. BLAND

Jim was born March 13, 1957, to the late Leroy and Hazel Bland, in Columbia, South Carolina. He grew up in Blacksburg, Virginia. On Nov. 19, 1988, he married his great love Krysti (Baker), in Flint Michigan. They met in a Hospital Psych Ward in Bradenton, Florida. (They were psych techs, not patients). They loved to share this funny story with everyone.

He loved working with kids and worked in several areas such as the kids’ psych ward in Bradenton, Florida, two different Teaching-Family Group homes with Krysti, open and managed the Boys and Girls Club at Thunder Bay Junior High School in Alpena, and he was a case manager at Partners in Prevention in which he taught drug prevention in schools. He was an amazing person and planted seeds of love and hope in many children throughout his life.

He is survived by his loving wife, Krysti, son, Jim Bland Jr., of Hendersonville, North Carolina, daughter Katie (Brandon) Brewington of Tampa, Florida, two granddaughters McKenzie and Aubree Brewington, father-in-law, Charles Baker, formerly of Alpena/Flint, now Bradenton, brother Jerry, of Dallas, Texas, two sisters-in-law, Kathy (Steve) of Pasadena, Maryland and Dorothy (Mike) of Port St. Lucie, Florida, aunt Marie Bland of Blacksburg, special cousins Janice Hodge and Emma Poff of Christiansburg, Virginia, and many other cousins and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his mother-in-law Betsy Baker, and two brothers.

Memorial services will be held later. Cremation arrangements have been handled by Bannan Funeral Home in Alpena.