JAMES D. WILLEFORD

Along with his military experience, James also has broad life experience. 

 

Married to Dana J. Willeford, Ph.D. for 27 years, the couple has three educated and successful married adult children and three grandchildren.  Devotion to God has always been the family’s first priority and the driving force behind everything it does.  Early-on agreeing to consider themselves vocational missionaries while using the Marine Corps as their vehicle, James has been privileged to serve as the pulpit minister for four separate Churches of Christ, as well as an associate minister and circuit minister when the need arose.  He regularly preaches and leads the song service, and writes and teaches adult Bible classes at his local congregation. Although like everyone else, James and Dana are far from perfect, they have built a wonderful marriage relationship and family, all of whom meet their challenges head on and with gusto.           

 

James' family's coat of arms is a good depiction of their own self-expectations when it comes to leadership.  It contains symbols of significant meaning.  The two circles represent gunstones, which are bullets or cannonballs:  we are not afraid to fight.  The chevron represents a saddle, a leader of knights: we are not afraid to lead.  The cross-crosslet represents carrying the Gospel in all directions:  we are not afraid to be Christians.  The motto, Virtus Fidelis Paratus, means that we remain Courageous, Faithful, and Prepared.  The colors, silver and black, are not showy and bright, but are capable of working in the field without drawing undue attention to themselves.  These are the virtues of humble people whose purpose is to serve God and others daily, and who are capable of providing leadership, encouragement, and example to those around them by the way they live their lives.