James Roderick Walters, known by those who loved him most as Poppy, passed from this life on Saturday, September 13, 2025. Poppy was at home and was surrounded by his family. He was 81 years old.

Poppy was preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn Ruth Mixon, who passed when he was 5 from leukemia; his father and stepmother, James Everett Walters and Addie McWilliams Walters; his brother, Rick Walters; his father and mother-in-law, Julius and Jessie Strickland; and his brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Carolyn Strickland.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ireda Strickland Walters; his children and their spouses: Natalie (Jeff) Thompson, Deidra (Billy) Bourg, and Roderick (Lauren) Walters; his grandchildren and their spouses: Jamie (Hunter) Walters; Nick Baucum; Claire (Noah) Hillman; Carter Bourg; Camille Walters; Lauren Thompson; and Lindsay (Jared) Letson; and his great-grandchildren: Everleigh Walters, Brooks Walters (who is due the day before Poppy's birthday), Klay Baucum, Joseph Letson, and David Letson; a brother and sister-in-law, Gary (Barbara) Walters; sister-in-law Debbie Walters; sisters Sherea Walters and Angela (Craig) Ploch; his stepmother, Nell Dodd; and a very special sister-in-law and dear friend, Bonnie (Ray) Dew.

Poppy graduated from Ellisville High School in 1961 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in business management, both from Mississippi State University. He loved his Bulldogs and enjoyed ribbing his daughter and daughter-in-law, who both graduated from Ole Miss. Poppy and Ireda were married during their college years. After finishing at Mississippi State, where he was part of the ROTC, Poppy served in the U.S. Army's ballistic missile program in Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, and White Sands, New Mexico, where his first daughter, Natalie, was born.

After earning the rank of captain and finishing his military service, Poppy was hired by Masonite Corporation (later known as International Paper) in Laurel before transferring to Titusville, Pennsylvania, where his middle child, Deidra, was born. A later transfer would move him and Ireda back home to Laurel, where his youngest child and only son, Roderick, was born. After retiring from International Paper, Poppy worked several years as a building inspector for the City of Laurel and then fully retired and went to work running errands for his children and grandchildren, which he said kept him busier than full-time employment.

In his later years, Poppy found his greatest joy in spending time with his family. He especially loved sitting on his back deck or visiting his fish camp in Vancleave, where his property fell right on the local Mardi Gras parade route and his family made a tradition of visiting as often as possible, but especially for the yearly parade. His family will remember him as a loving, compassionate, and wickedly funny man who instilled in them an importance of taking care of family and a knack for sarcasm and dry wit. In fact, ask any one of his children or grandchildren their favorite Poppy memory, and it will no doubt include a quip, Pop-ism, or story that ends in laughter. We love our Poppy immensely and will miss him the rest of our days, but we are thankful that he is peaceful, healed, and reunited with his loved ones in the presence of Jesus.

A celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Laurel at 2:00PM. Visitation will begin from 12:00PM to 2:00PM, Wednesday, September 17, 2025 followed by a ceremony led by Bro. Kade Pierce. A military burial will follow at Memorial Gardens on Highway 84 East in Laurel.

Pallbearers will be Nick Baucum, Carter Bourg, Hunter Walters, Noah Hillman, Nathan Dew, Chad Walley, Matthew Walters, and Cameron Edwards.