James Corbett Click Jr., 84, passed away on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, while surrounded by family and friends. A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 21, at Silver Creek Mortuary, 745 Paper Mill Road in Taylor. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, with a viewing one hour prior, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Joseph City Chapel. Interment will follow at the Joseph City Cemetery. James “Jim” was born Sept. 6, 1932, in Santa Ana, Calif., to James Corbett Click Sr. and Lucille Quintana. At an early age, he learned to work real hard and passed that work ethic on to his children and grandchildren. He would often be with his dad while working on the well drilling rig. As a young man he also worked with the Mexicans in the lettuce fields. After work they would pair up and get in the back of the big produce trucks and fight. Back then there was no tapping out until you were out. This rugged childhood prepared him for his future service in both the military and law enforcement. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 following some sound advice from his dad and the local constable. During basic training in Fort Ord, Calif., he demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and after basic training was sent to noncommissioned officer school. Then the Korean War broke out and all of these young new noncommissioned officers were deployed to Korea. Not long after arriving in Korea, the fighting became fierce. He was made acting squad leader soon after turning 18 years old. After six months in Korea, his squad was ordered to take a hill that had been fought over for several days. Many soldiers had tried, but failed to take this hill. As they fought their way up the hill, Jim made his way to a makeshift foxhole ahead of his squad, trying to get a machine gun that was jammed and then offered cover fire for his squad. He was hit with shrapnel and small arms fire in the head and gravely wounded. Two of his men got to him and drug him off the hill. He was hit three more times in his arm and shoulder. He was medevaced to Tokyo General Hospital in Japan. After waking up from a 12-hour operation and being in a coma lasting for over a month, he was paralyzed on his right side and told that he would not recover from the paralysis. Within a few short weeks he began getting feeling in his right hand and right leg and was flown from Tokyo General Hospital to Letterman Army Hospital in California. There he spent the next year and a half learning to eat, write and walk all over again. He was awarded the Purple Heart and eventually found his way back in to a uniform. He was Taylor’s first town marshal after they incorporated. He spent over 13 years with Taylor. He then went to work as a deputy for Navajo County Sheriff Marlin Gillispie. He had a total of over 32 years as a peace officer and retired shortly after being promoted to undersheriff by Gary Butler. He helped build an ambulance service, police department and fire department while in Taylor. He also helped to grow the search and rescue team while with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Department. He was preceded in death by his sister Joyce, one grandchild, two great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Survivors include his brother, Gary; three sisters, Geraldine, Charlene and Rosie; his sons and daughters, Brad, Craig, Kitty, Lisa, Joy Lynne, JC, Matt and Kim. He was first married to Mary Lynne Hancock for 28 years and then Brenda Smith for 12 years. This resulted in seven children, 41 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Jim and Mary Lynne also raised 68 foster children over the 28 years of their marriage. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Navajo County Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers, c/o Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, P.O. Box 668, Holbrook, Ariz. 86025.
