James Rangel’s life was defined by a simple choice: Get busy livin’ or get busy dying. And he lived a lot of life in 62 years. He was a born and raised Wichitan—an East High graduate, a cook in many iconic local establishments, and a talented musician and artist. On July 12, 2020, our father’s second life began when he overcame his addiction and found sobriety. He fell in love with the gym, and in recent years, he became known locally for taking his beloved snake, Maximus the Great, out for walks and to local events. He took and compiled hundreds of photos of their adventures together—even up until his final days.

To us (Olivia and Kenzie Borland), he was our Dad. He was full of love and endless pride for us, and we never knew anything different. In January 2025, he told us he had liver cancer, and he fought hard for over a year. Just two weeks before his passing, we found out our father was out of options for his cancer and began home hospice. We thought we had months, if not years, to be together and prepare for his home-going. The plan was to go through his belongings, move them into Kenzie and Laz’s home, get the legal documents in order, and soak up this precious, finite time.

Unfortunately, the story did not play out that way. What his medical team and what we thought was a harmless, common fall over the weekend turned out to be a tragedy for our dad and family. He hit his head, causing a brain injury that put him into a permanent coma when he went to sleep.

Although it wasn't how we imagined, we are so grateful that his close family and friends were able to say goodbye. He held on until I (Olivia) made it home from St. Louis. In his final moments, we held him as his favorite artists (Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix, ELO) played, and he began his next journey as Purple Rain by Prince played.

While this was ”expected,” we are in shock and devastated. We are asking our community's support to help us navigate this enormous loss so we can focus on the grief and healing with less anxiety about the financial side of this process. All proceeds will go towards funeral costs and the celebration of life, any remaining medical bills, moving out of and cleaning up his apartment, and any legal fees and other expenses that may occur during estate probate. Any leftover funds will go towards creating a permanent memorial for James.

Thank you so much for your love and support, and for the joy you brought to his life, Wichita.

James Rangel obituary: https://www.bakerfhwichita.com/obituary/james-rangel-jr