James Arthur Bretz, Sr., age 89, died on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, in Cornerstone Hospice, The Villages, Florida. Born on May 13, 1932 in Erie, PA, to his dear parents, Stephen and Susan (Bailey) Bretz, James was raised on a strawberry farm in Harborcreek, PA. He was the fourth in the family of five brothers and two sisters, Richard, Robert, Charles, Alice, Carl, Susan and Stephen. Living on the farm taught him many skills, responsibilities and discipline, which would benefit him throughout his lifetime. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1956, then became a manufacturing engineer at General Electric. As a child of God, he wanted others to experience the peace of God that he had found at an early age. He had a heart for missions both in the US and other countries. He helped establish several Christian and Missionary Alliance churches throughout the US and traveled to the Sahara Desert, Malaysia, and served as the group leader on a mission trip to Mali, West Africa. James was a loving husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He was a devoted Christian and wonderful role model. He is survived by Dorothy Jeanne Bretz, his one true love and wife of over 68 years, his children, who he dearly loved, Judith (Mal) Hilliard, Clermont, FL, Jeffery (Linda) Bretz, Erie, PA, and Jonathan (Cathy) Bretz, The Villages, FL. He was preceded in death by son, James Bretz, Jr. Also surviving grandchildren, Derrick Bolton, Heather Bolton, Craig Bolton, Asia Bretz, Donnie Bretz, Matt Bretz, Paige Bretz, Jennifer King, Joseph King, Jessica King, Jeremy King and a lot of great grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. A Celebration of his life will be held at the church where he was a member, the Leesburg Alliance Church, 218 S. 14th Street, Leesburg, Florida 34748, on October 23, 2021, at 1:00 PM.