James Bruce Croom, 88, of the Moss Hill community passed away on January 3, 2025 at Magnolia Cottage. He was born in Lenoir County on August 5, 1936, to the late Abner Bruce Croom and Eloise Hardy Croom. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his wife, Violet Cade Croom and brother, Linwood Lee Croom.

James Bruce graduated from Moss Hill School in 1954, where he later served on the Advisory Board for several years. He was a member of Sandy Bottom Baptist Church.

James Bruce spent a 40-year career in the tobacco business working the Burley and Flue-Cured markets where he acquired the nickname “Skinny.” This journey began as a truck driver with Imperial Tobacco in Kinston and later becoming a tobacco buyer. He retired from Standard Commercial as a Purchasing Supervisor over the Wilson, NC area market. After retirement he was employed with Warren Hardy Farms, INC. In his off time from the tobacco market, he enjoyed spending time with his family at Emerald Isle, tending a garden and sharing its bounty with his family, fishing nets in the Neuse River, and hunting in the Sandy Bottom area and at Pleasant Hill Hunting Club, where he was an honorary member. When his grandchildren came along, they gave him the name of “Buddy” in which he became well known by and stuck with many people while in their presence. A long-standing tradition for Buddy was barbequing a pig at Christmas to share with family and friends. This tradition began with several neighborhood friends, cooking several pigs, and later transitioned to including his immediate family and ensuring that it would be carried on by sharing his knowledge.

Left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Jamie C. Dixon and husband, Jay and Libbie C. Rogers and husband, Harry; grandchildren, Staten Rogers and wife, Alicia, Alex Rogers (Elizabeth), Cassie Wetherington and husband, Wade, and Jacob Dixon (Macy); great-grandchildren, Ellie and Hadley Wetherington; a special aunt, Joyce Hardy Avery, who faithfully called him every night to check in and share any news she had from the neighborhood.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to the members of the community who would stop by to check on James Bruce, give him a ride when needed and take him out during the week in his later years of declining health. Also, the family would like to thank the staff of Magnolia Cottage and Kitty Askins Hospice Center.

Funeral services will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 9, 2025 in the chapel of Rouse Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the hour prior to the service at the funeral home and at other times at the home. A private inurnment will be held on Friday, January 10, 2025 at Westview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Sandy Bottom Baptist Church, 4568 Hwy 55 W, Kinston, NC 28504. and Seven Springs Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 116, Seven Springs, NC 28578.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Rouse Funeral Home, La Grange.