James Michael Ohl was born on April 4, 1979 to Michelle and Kevin Ohl, third of the five children they would eventually have (but the "baby" for 10 years). Michelle told the story of a snowstorm when James was born that resulted in her having to use extra blankets to cover the windows along with her and James to stay warm because the nurses never came to take baby James away that night (which was perfectly fine with Mom!).

James was a healthy baby with beautiful red curls that lasted until his first haircut. He lost the strawberry blond hair when he was in his twenties, but the red came back whenever he wore a beard or mustache. James was very proud of his Irish heritage, and even was a leprechaun one Halloween. He also had a fondness for Irish drinks and music, sometimes concurrently.

Following in the musical footsteps of his big brother, James played tenor saxophone throughout his time at Walled Lake Western. However, he truly shone through singing and acting, which James pursued throughout high school and college. It was his passion and James was an amazingly talented actor. We loved him in all of his musicals and plays, even as the evil Bill Sykes in Oliver and the "bad guy" in Mousetrap.

Cooking was another of James' talents. In that respect, he definitely took after his mom. James was employed by several different restaurants during the years, working as a cook, server, and manager. James' family got to benefit from his culinary skills frequently, and his cheesecakes were sure to disappear from any family gathering or holiday.

When it came to sports, James was a huge enthusiast. He loved his Detroit teams (Red Wings, Tigers, even the Lions!) as well as his Spartans. If one of his teams was playing, you would be sure to find him cheering them on to (hopefully) victory… or alternately yelling at them for not playing to his liking. James liked to wear hats and other clothing supporting all of his teams, and even had tattoos for his beloved Red Wings and Tigers.

Although James never got to have children of his own, he was amazing with "small humans" and very loved by his nieces and nephew, possibly because he was just a big kid himself. James had a quick wit and a keen handle on sarcasm, and he loved to tease family members both young and old. He was especially close to his nephew Gabe (Big Dude and Little Dude, although the roles may have recently switched), and the two of them went on a (unapproved) road trip to Georgia last summer that involved peaches and the much-loved tacos from Jack in the Box.

James had a heart of immeasurable size. If a friend or family member was in need, James was there for them, no matter the time of day or favor that was needed. If you tried to thank James, his usual response was "No worries!" If you needed someone to listen to you without judgment, James was your man. He loved his family and friends unconditionally, and the world would be a much better place if everyone was as kind, compassionate, and understanding as James was.

James is preceded in death by: his mother, Michelle, as well as his grandparents on both sides.

James is survived by: his father, Kevin; sister, Nicole Ohl-Shaw; brother, Shawn Ohl; brother, Patrick Ohl; sister, Caitlin Ohl. James is also survived by: his nieces, Annalise Shaw, Genevieve Ohl-Badgley, and Arya Johnson; and nephew, Gabriel Shaw. He additionally leaves behind the beloved dog Luna and his rescued cat Rocky (Squash), along with countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and many, many friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Nature Conservancy ( https://www.nature.org/en-us/ ); if you knew James, you know how passionate he was about protecting the environment!

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.rileyfuneralhome.com