August 1, 1987 - August 2, 2021

James Vincent Madrid, 34 years old, passed away too soon on August 2, 2021. James was born on August 1, 1987 to Theresa Madrid and Enrique Anaya in Chicago, Illinois. James grew up on the baseball field, playing the sport he loved almost every day of the week. When he was not playing baseball, he was dressed in his favorite blue Chicago Cubs t-shirt and watching his hometown team on TV or at Wrigley Field. He later developed a love for music of all kinds, with a dream of playing the drums. After getting his own drum set, he would rush home from school to play along to some of his favorite songs.

James attended Fenwick High School, where he developed his passion for learning and embarked on a journey of constant inquisition. He spent the majority of his free time reading, playing music, and watching baseball, but developed a new love for computers. He committed a substantial amount of time building his dream computer. During his latter years of high school, James developed a strong interest in aviation. He decided to pursue an aviation degree at Quincy University and undertook the courageous act of flying a plane independently.

James returned from Quincy University, settling in Chicago. He loved discovering new restaurants with family and organizing barbecue parties in the summertime. He later stumbled upon a new love for ping pong, competing in a local league and winning several championships over the past few years.

Though we are all faced with overwhelming grief, we are comforted by reflections of our amazing memories that we all shared with James. He will forever live in our hearts.

James is survived by his mother, Theresa, and sister, Carissa.