James Otis Woodruff was born on November 4, 1945 in Hinds County Mississippi to the union of the late Leo Woodruff, Sr. and Joanna Savannah Woodruff. He is preceded in death by his wife, Stephanie Barnes Woodruff, grandson, Leo A. Woodruff, brother, Leo F. Woodruff, Jr., and sister Rhoda M. Woodruff McKenzie.

James accepted the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age, was baptized and united with the Spring Ridge Missionary Baptist Church,
Edwards, Mississippi. He later united with the Society Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi. James was educated in the Hinds County school system. He later moved to Dallas, Texas where he lived and worked. James later relocated back home to Edwards, Mississippi to live with and care for his parents. James was united in holy matrimony to Stephanie Barnes on May 22, 1998. James Otis Woodruff, Sr., a loving father, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law and uncle departed this life on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at Brandon Nursing Home and Rehab Center, Brandon, Mississippi.

James leaves to cherish his memories: a son James (Dorice) Woodruff, Jr., Kansas City, Missouri; stepdaughter Talisa
Neal, Chicago, Illinois; stepsons Tony A Barnes and Shawn L. (Maria) Hayden, Jr., Las Vegas, Nevada; grandchildren, James O. Woodruff, III, Jamisha (Larry) Cooper, Jiovanna Woodruff; step grandchildren Tykia Barnes, Tony Barnes, Tykala (Brandon) McNair, Arianna Barnes, Kaleb Hayden; two sisters, Minnie Reed of Montgomery, Illinois and Maxine Randon of Meridian, Texas, two brothers-in-law, Reverend Calvin (Ethel) Barnes, Jr., of Las Vegas, Nevada and Reverend Lee M. Barnes, Sr., of Atlanta, Georgia; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Jean Barnes-Griswold of Egan, Minnesota, Selottie (Charles, Sr.) Thames of Walnut Grove, Mississippi, and Catherine Jackson of Woodbury, Minnesota; and a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.