James "Jim" Everett Lewis, Sr.

James E. Lewis, Sr., 80, passed away at 10:00pm on Friday, January 9, 2015 at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. James E. Lewis, Sr. was born October 30, 1934. He was the son of the late Rufus A. Lewis and the late Virginia H. Privett Lewis Minor. He grew up in Putnam County on a dairy farm on the Sparta Highway in the Rockville area, and won many Blue Ribbons for showing his Jersey cows with the FFA and 4-H club. He attended Rockville, Phoenix, Eatonton, and was the first class to graduate from the new Putnam County High School in 1952. Afterward, attended Southern Business University, in Atlanta, before entering the military . After serving five years in the U.S. Army Paratroopers, while in Atlanta, he met a wonderful girl, Marie Maddox, who he went to school with in Eatonton. Later marrying her on March 1, 1958. He was married to his talented, caring and loving wife, Marie Maddox, the first Dairy Queen of Putnam County, for 55 years, although a number of people said it would not work, and her Mother asked if he knew what he was doing, what a wonderful 55 years they had together. He loved his family and enjoyed being with them and watching the children grow up. James, or Jim, as many called him, was a salesman for Libby Foods until they bought their first home in 1959. The salesman needed someone to type the contract, so Jim typed it for him. Upon seeing his talent they hired him on the spot to work for Cousins Properties in the corporate office. Tom Cousins needed supervisors in the field so he put his brother, Bill, and Jim building apartments and homes. This was the start of a seventeen year building career, during which time he built two homes for his family, one in Forest Park and the last in Morrow, Georgia in 1965. He then trained as a manager for Denny's Restaurant in Atlanta, while undergoing treatment for cancer. After thirteen years, Denny's sold to franchises and he went with Office Depot for five years before retiring. Surviving are his wife, Marie Maddox Lewis; two sons, Notley Mark Lewis and wife, Kim of Stockbridge, Georgia, James E. Lewis, Jr. and wife, Debbie of Carrollton, Georgia, and one daughter, Cynthia "Cindy" Marie McElhinney and husband, Bret of Oviedo, Florida. Nine Grand children, Notley Mark Lewis II and wife, Sarah, of Holiday, Florida, James Robert Lewis of Leesville, Louisiana, Katryna Marie McElhinney of Oviedo, Florida, Nicholas James Lewis, Christopher David Lewis, Arianna Nicole Lewis, James Kenneth Lewis, Patricia Diane Lewis, Sierra Lynn Lewis of Carrollton, Georgia. One great grand daughter, Paulyanna Elizabeth Lewis of Holiday, Florida. Preceded in death by half brother, Rufus A. Lewis, Jr., of Rome, Georgia. Survived by Mrs. R.A. (Jo) Lewis; nephew, Ronald Lewis (Wendy), of Carrollton, Georgia; niece, Donna (Louie) Davis. A Service will be held in the chapel at Thomas L. Scroggs Funeral Directors on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 11:00am. Pastor Eddie Mason, Pastor Herman Mason, and Pastor Brick Mason will be officiating. Interment will be at 3:00pm at Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton, Ga. Rev. Dudley Horton will be officiating the commital service. The family will be accepting friends at the funeral home for visitation on Tuesday from 10:00am-11:00am. If you wish to make a memorial, you may make it to a charity of your choice or to the Emory Winship Cancer institute, 1365C Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30322. (Obituary personally written by James E. Lewis, Sr.) To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James "Jim" Everett Lewis, Sr., please visit our flower store.