This weekend brought sad news to Real Change, when we were told that one of our vendors, James Davis Polk, had died. The cause of death, according to his sister, Juanita Mae, was a liver ailment. He had been staying with a cousin in Tacoma, recovering from a stroke earlier this year when he died Sun., June 10..
Born April 14, 1961 in Hattiesburg, Miss., James only spent three months there, before his family moved to Seattle. From then on, this city was his home.
A popular vendor since 2001, who sold papers on Capitol Hill, at the QFC located on E. 15th Ave., James was beloved by customers for his sense of humor and winning smile. These traits were parlayed into one of his most endearing selling strategies: gently teasing potential buyers by referring to them as Bill Gates or Paul Allen.
A memorial service to honor James will take place Fri., June 15, at 1 p.m., at Southside Church of Christ, 3518 S. Edmunds St., Seattle, 98118.