James Queen, Iii

Waynesville, James Richard "Jay" Queen, III, son of James R. Queen, Jr. and Jo Lohr Queen of 15 Queens Farm Lane, died on Monday, August 13, 2012 in his sleep at the family home in Waynesville from leukodystrophy, a progressive, terminal brain and nerve disease. A native Tar Heel with family roots reaching back to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Jay was 35. Jay was a cheerful and vocal son and will be remembered for his love of classic rock-n-roll, Boy Scouting, and Special Olympics. He would sing many '50's and 60's hits such as the Coasters in harmony with the song. He also discovered video games and enjoyed many hours of smashing buildings in Donkey Kong and having fun with the Mario Brothers. Jay was proud to be a Boy Scout for over 15 years and progressed from entry level Club to the second highest rank in Scouting, Life Scout. He was awarded 27 merit badges, including almost all of the requirements for Eagle Scout, Scouting's highest rank. He attended multiple district and regional events, as well as the 1993 National Jamboree. He was inducted into "The Order of the Arrow," Scouting's camping honor society. A long-time participant in Special Olympics, Jay won multiple medals at local, regional, and state competitions. He had the unique honor of having his cousin, a US Navy SEAL, Joshua Thomas Harris, help with his swimming training. In keeping with the Scout Law, which states that a Scout is helpful as well as kind, samples of Jay's tissues and organs are being donated to the national Children's Hospital in Washington as part of a research project on the identification, testing, and prevention/treatment of leukodystrophy, which currently has no treatment and the cause of which is not completely understood. Jay is survived by his parents, by his uncles Frank G. Queen and George P. Queen, by his aunts, Buffy Queen and Susan R. Queen, all of Waynesville and by a great aunt, Jo Pryor Allman, of Winston-Salem. The family wishes to express their most heartfelt thanks for the love and kindness that his other great aunt, Sara Queen Brown, of Clyde has shown throughout the lives of Jay and his sister, Lisa Jo, who also succumbed to leukodystrophy. A memorial service will be held at a later date.