Obituary of James-Garrett Amayi-Kelley
James-Garrett Kanuwodi Amayi-Kelley was born on August 31,1983 in Sanctuary Cove, Tucson, AZ to Elizabeth Garrett Bunker and James A. Kelley. The monsoons came the day of his birth after a long drought and so his middle name was chosen. Kanuwodi Amayi, means Healing Waters in Cherokee and he was known to many as Waters.
A devoted son, he was a gift to his family. He always strived to be his best. His parents are blessed for their time with him and are immensely proud of the person he was.
He was the youngest of three siblings following Benjamin and Elizabeth (Quisi). They were loyal and protective siblings, supporting and counseling each other throughout their lives. Becoming brother to Elizabeth’s husband, Noah, “Uncle Bear” to their children and being a constant presence in their lives was one the greatest joys of James-Garrett’s life.
Windancer Ranch, his family home, in Cochise Stronghold, AZ instilled a love of nature that permeated his entire life. As a child, he moved to Glastonbury, CT, but summered in AZ, returning home to the ranch, and living there, throughout his life.
In Glastonbury, James-Garrett found “his boys”, a strongly bonded group of lifelong friends, a chosen family sharing all their life events. He cherished Hans, JT, Sean, and Spencer as brothers, and was Uncle Funcle to their kids.
Graduating from Glastonbury High School, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science / Education, Cum Laude from Central Connecticut State University.
In 2007 he traveled with his father to Colorado to see Further at Red Rocks. His father called an old friend Florian, who brought James future mother in law, setting in motion the next great chapter of his life.
In 2010 he moved to Colorado to pursue a career in the legal cannabis industry. It was there his first date with Coral Hackler was arranged by their parents. The two first lived in Wondervu, CO and he took a position as a snowboard instructor at Eldora Mountain Resort. It was there he met a group of friends who later joined “his boys” as groomsmen. Their next adventure was working as raft and zip-line guides for River Riders in Harpers Ferry, WV. They moved back to Colorado that winter opting for more terrain at Copper Mountain Ski Resort.
They dreamed of sustainable living and moved to Windancer ranch in 2012. He worked alongside his father to restore the family home. He began to live life by the motto "Minimize my carbon footprint, maximize my human imprint". He worked tirelessly growing their own vegetables and raising poultry. Waters often gave his time to assist elders and friends.
He shared his fathers passion for art and set up his glass blowing studio, specializing in decorative marbles and pendants.
Ranch life was tough and they eventually moved back to Colorado and found a dream job as caretakers of Joyful Journey Hot Springs in the San Luis Valley. It was close to there at Cotton Creek that they married under the Perseid meteor shower with over 200 friends in attendance in 2015.
They moved back to Leadville, Colorado and for one summer lived in a tipi at 10,000 ft. It was there he starred on the TV show Building Off the Grid: High Altitude Hideout. In 2018 they spent winter in Vermont working for Outdoor Gear Exchange. He came back to Boulder, CO and worked on a large CBD farm. They were enjoying city life but when COVID hit in 2020 they moved back to Windancer Ranch. During that time Waters acquired his Soil Food Web, permaculture design, and rainwater harvesting certifications and began his landscaping company SunWaters Soil Systems.
In 2021 Waters became a leader in the AZ underground music scene, bringing community together despite the world shutting down. It was through throwing these musical events that he formed some of his closest bonds, what they called the Of the Love pride.
Not all love stories have happy endings. They separated in 2023, and James returned to Connecticut to be closer to "his boys". There he embraced new passions, biking, riding his One Wheel, and started a promising career in roofing sales.
In June 2025, he reconnected with Ashley McCabe and found love again. He embraced a fatherly role with enthusiasm, looked forward to teaching adventure sports to her son, Weston, and joyfully anticipated the birth of their daughter in May 2026. He took great pride in purchasing what he believed was the safest car on the market for his growing family.
On November 28, 2025, James-Garrett left us for the astral plane after a tragic car accident in that new car a few days later.
His passing has sent ripples of grief across the many communities he touched. He often said he hoped his death would help bring people back together. The tattoo on his right wrist—“remember why you came”—remains a message to all who knew him: a reminder that our purpose is to spread love.
Waters built community wherever he went. His humor, warmth, eloquence, and adventurous spirit drew people together. Friends often joked that he could have been a cult leader, given his gift for inspiring and motivating others. He was unwaveringly loyal, the first to offer help, and the friend people called when they needed guidance.
He is survived by his parents, Elizabeth G. Bunker and James A. Kelley; his sister, Elizabeth Kelley-Hogan, her husband Noah and their 4 children; his half-brother, Benjamin Van Raam; his partner, Ashley McCabe; and their unborn child.
Memorial services will be held in CT, AZ, and CO. For details, visit windancer.org/jgmemorial