James Walker Tatum

James Walker Tatum, 87, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, January 28, 2013 at his home.
Mr. Tatum was born November 14, 1925 in Kennett to Bernie H. and Esther Walker Tatum, and graduated from Kennett High School in 1943. He entered the U.S. Army in April 1944, where he served in the European Theatre of Operations as a combat infantryman with the 313 regiment, 79th Infantry Division and in the 1st Infantry Division after the war. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Unit Citation Award, European Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Campaign Stars, Bronze Star Medal with Bronze Oakleaf Cluster for Heroic Actions, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, and a Good Conduct Medal.
Mr. Tatum was discharged from the Army in June 1946 and then attended the University of Missouri where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and where he met his future wife, Gretchen Garten. He graduated from Mizzou in 1949 with a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in accounting. He moved to Kennett where he worked for Felix G. Kraft, CPA. In 1953 he moved to Poplar Bluff; and in 1954 the firm became Kraft, Miles & Tatum, CPA. He served as president of the SE Missouri Chapter of CPAs and on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Society of CPAs. He retired December 31, 1989.
Mr. Tatum was an active member of the community, serving as president of Jaycees, Kiwanis, Poplar Bluff Industries, and on the Board of Directors of PB Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Board of Directors of Southern Missouri Bancorp and the Southern Missouri Bank. Mr. Tatum was a proud supporter of Mizzou football and an avid golfer and was particularly proud of his 4 ""holes in one"".
On June 5, 1949 he married Gretchen Garten in Pierce City, MO. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary before she preceded him in death on December 3, 2009.
Survivors include four children: Cynthia Smith and husband Doug of Columbia, Ann Coulson of Manhattan, KS, David Tatum and wife Bette of Rogers, AR, and Julia Matthews and husband, Steve of St. Louis; 11 grandchildren: Laura Smith, Brian Smith and wife Val, Sarah Coulson, Olivia Coulson, Matt Tatum and wife Nicole, Christen Tatum, Andy Tatum, Jenny Tatum, Emily Matthews, Paul Matthews, Mary Kate Matthews; 2 great-grandchildren: Sam Abney-Smith and James Tatum; a sister: Peggy Greer of Sikeston and a sister-in-law Beth Brown of Columbia.
His parents and two sisters, Frances Caruthers Brinner and Joanne Farmer Rose, preceded Mr. Tatum in death.
A gathering of family and friends will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 31 at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. A Celebration of Life service will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 1 at First United Methodist Church with Pastor Dave Huck officiating. Interment will be at 2 p.m. at Missouri State Veteran Cemetery in Bloomfield.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested contributions be made in Mr. Tatum's memory to Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, 318 N. Main St., Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 or to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.