Obituary of James Howard Self

Services for James H. Self Jr. will be LIVE STREAMED on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 10:00 AM.  Please click the VIEW SERVICE below at the appointed time to watch the funeral service live. The order of service can be downloaded using the link at the bottom of this page.

James Howard Self, Jr, (Jim) of Herndon, Virginia, passed into the arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ, on the morning of February 25, 2021.

Jim was a California boy, born in Inglewood on October 24, 1939 to parents James Howard Self, Sr, and Helen Craig Self. He was predeceased by his parents and sister, Pamela Self.

Jim attended UCLA, where he played basketball. His first job after college was a classified government position, near Las Vegas. During that time, he married Alice Beryl Carss, in Texas. They were overjoyed to welcome a daughter, Susanna. Unfortunately, that marriage ended in divorce. Jim began a new career in Sales and Sales Management with Olivetti, then Xerox. He proved to be a hardworking, successful salesman. Promotions moved him gradually across the US, until he settled in the New York Metro region. Based in Manhattan, he became Regional Manager, Sales Training for Steelcase, Inc, Grand Rapids, MI, for many years. It was during this time that his second marriage to Carolyn Curtis ended in divorce.

In 1984, Jim met the woman whom he would call the love of his life, Cheryl Ennis Emenheiser. She was also in consultative sales and was a participant in one of his Steelcase classes. He always kidded that he only married her because she needed remedial help in sales! They were married in 1988, in Stony Brook, LI, New York and moved to Virginia in 1995. Together with Cheryl’s two children, Paige, and Stew, from her former marriage, they built a life together centered on a shared Christian faith, family, community, and service.

Jim will be deeply missed and remembered as a man of quiet faith with a calm and generous spirit. Throughout his life, he held multiple leadership roles at Three Village Church in Setauket, NY, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Great Falls, VA and Providence Baptist Church, McLean, VA. He served the Lord in whatever way was most needed - no task was beneath him. One of his favorite church ministries was Angel Tree, delivering Christmas presents to the children of inmates with his faithful core group of men from his Bible Study. He also loved his season of service at Prison Fellowship Ministries, founded by Charles W. Colson, both as a staff member in Manhattan, and as a long-term, in-prison Volunteer, Eastern US.

He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Cheryl Ennis Self, three cherished children: Susanna L. Self (Jeff), Paige McLaughlin, Stewart Emenheiser (Marcie) and five precious grandchildren, Connor McLaughlin (14), Regan McLaughlin (10), Tenley Emenheiser (9), Brooks Emenheiser (5) and Saylor Emenheiser (3), and his cousin Arleen Ellis (Doug). He also leaves his two faithful Cocker Spaniels, Simon and Schatzie. The family especially wishes to thank his two amazing nurses Marie Poteman and Musu Kamara, from Nursing Referral Service, and the wonderful team at Capital Caring Hospice.

Arrangements are by Adams-Green Funeral Home, 721 Elden Street, Herndon, VA. Please see the website www.adamsgreen.com for details. Visitation will be Wednesday evening, Mar 3, 5-8 pm with a private service on Thursday, Mar 4, followed by burial at Chestnut Grove Cemetery, Herndon, VA. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated, in memory of Jim, for his church, South Ridge Church in Fredericksburg, VA (southridge.us/give) or to Prison Fellowship Ministries, Lansdowne, VA (www.prisonfellowship.org).