Sgt. James Allen Slape, 23, of Morehead City, was killed in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018, while valiantly serving our country in the N.C. Army National Guard’s 60th Troop Command, 430th Explosive Ordnance Company, based in Washington, N.C.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, at Glad Tidings Church in Morehead City.

James began his service to country early in his life as a member of both the Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts of America — Unit 334 Glad Tidings Church. He continued down this path of dedication by participating in the NJROTC Program at West Carteret. He joined the Army National Guard while still in his senior year of high school, then qualified for and completed the rigorous EOD training at Eglin Air Force Base in 2015.

James loved life, and he loved his friends and family. James was passionate about many things throughout his life. Many a day he would take off to the beach with his guitar in hand or a surfboard or maybe just to spend time with friends. He loved sports and lettered in both Cross Country and Wrestling while attending West Carteret High School. He had a love of God and attended several different churches in Morehead City and while he was training at Fort Jackson and Eglin AFB.

He met the love of his life, Shawn Marie Eubanks, in 2017, and they married later that year. They knew when they married that they would have a tough road ahead with James leaving for Afghanistan less than a year into the marriage. Their love knew no bounds and reached across the ocean to bind them together more each day.

James is survived by his wife, Shawn; their fur babies, Hunter, Lilly and Monkey; parents, Jim and Trish Slape, all of Morehead City; brother, PV2 William Patrick Slape, of Fort Jackson, South Carolina; great-grandmother, Marie Braswell, of Rocky Mount; grandparents, Col. (retired) Frank Allen Faison of Danville, Virginia, Lynda and Chief (retired) William Richard Hile, of Chesapeake, Virginia; great-aunts and -uncles, Gil and Jewel Faison, of Mechanicsville, Virginia, Beverly Rackley of Wendell, N.C.; aunts and uncles, Col. (retired) Edward Lawrence and Cora Faison, of Swansboro, David and Sonya Faison, of Warner Robins, Georgia, Beth Faison, of Columbia, S.C., Doug and Cristi Slape, of Monroe, N.C., Randy and Tara Hile, of Chesapeake, Virginia; and several cousins, Stephanie and Carmelo, Kristina, Zack, Nick, Gabby and Hallie.

James was preceded in death by his great-grandfather, James Braswell; grandmother, Lyn Faison; and great-uncle, Ken Rackley.

Family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, at Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the EOD Warrior Foundation online at www.eodwarriorfoundation.org or by mail to EOD Warrior Foundation, 701 John Sims Parkway East, Ste. 305, Niceville, FL 32578 or to the Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter, 100 Wildlife Way, Newport, NC 28570.

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City.