James Edward Betterson was born in Gary, Indiana, to parents Dorothy L. Higgins- Betterson and Freddie Betterson on November 25, 1938.He proudly joined the United States Marine Corps in 1956, serving as a Private First Class (PFC), and remained in the Marine Corps Reserve until 1962. Following his military service, James worked in the Physical Therapy Department at Mount Sinai Hospital in 1962, where he assisted patients in their recovery.

James later attended the Manpower 1060 Program in Cleveland, Ohio, completing extensive training as a machine and dye caster. It was during this program that he met the love of his life, Emille Jo Ferrell. James and Emille were married in October 1966, and together they raised three children: Carmen, Efrem, and Lisa.

James worked at Xerox for 33 years as a Senior Field Service Technician and was honored with membership in the Xerox President's Club from 1978 to 1993. He was also among a select group chosen to represent Xerox at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1978, James and his family relocated to Dallas, Texas, seeking new lifestyle and business opportunities with Xerox. While raising their three children, James and Emille also welcomed and lovingly raised two nieces, Ranise Bryant Gillespie and Paris Melzer-King. This selfless and generous act reflected their deep commitment to family and helped guide them into the accomplished women they were destined to become. After retiring from Xerox in 1999, James began a second career as an educator with the Dallas Independent School District. He found great joy in teaching students from Kinder Garden through Fouth grade and later retired after 13 years of dedicated service. In addition to his full-time work, James was also a licensed real estate agent with Century 21 in both Ohio and Texas, where he bought, sold, and invested in property. James earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Norwood University in July 1994, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Spending meaningful time with family was of the utmost importance to him, and he cherished doing so while traveling the world with his beloved wife by his side. Together, Jim and Emille explored destinations across the United States and enjoyed 40+ cruises to islands and countries around the globe. Among their most memorable journeys were visits to the Caribbean, Paris, Ephesus, Egypt, Spain, Malta, Indonesia, Rome, Italy, Dubai, India, Singapore, and voyages through the Panama and Suez Canals, among many others.

Jim's openness to new experiences was reflected in his wide range of interests and hobbies. He enjoyed cruising on his boat, golfing, and camping, and cherished fishing trips shared with family and friends. He also had a passion for sport cars and took great pleasure in attending live performances, including opera, theater, as well as R&B and jazz concerts. An enthusiastic sports fan, Jim followed boxing, tennis, and football and loved hosting watch parties with friends. He was also an avid reader who could often be found studying the Bible and reading business publications such as Black Enterprise. Deeply engaged in his community, James served as a homeowner's association chair, demonstrating his commitment to leadership and service.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, Emille Jo Ferrell-Betterson. He is survived by his siblings, Donald Byrd and Gladys Dorthea Byrd; his children, Carmen Betterson Collins, Efrem Betterson, and Lisa Betterson; his grandchildren, Charmaine Betterson, Jason Betterson, Jasmine Collins, and Efrem Myles Betterson Jr.; and his nieces, Paris Melzer-King and Ranise Gillespie and a host of other relatives and friends.