James H. "Jim" Dearing's Obituary
James H. “Jim” Dearing, age 85, of Powder Springs, died on July 31, 2015.
Jim is survived by his wife of 57 years, Virginia Gable Dearing, of Powder Springs, daughter, Vallory Dearing Welday and husband Russell, of Clarkdale GA, grandson, Michael Welday of Chatsworth CA, and son, James H. Dearing, Jr. and wife Robin, of Memphis TN, brother Curtis Dearing and wife Della Mae, of Hiawassee GA, and sister-in-law Nell Gable Cole, of Powder Springs, and many devoted and loving nieces, nephews, godchildren and friends and his two beloved cats, Mabel and Sophie.
Jim was born in 1929 in Guntersville AL. He was the 5th of 8 children born to John and Amy (Worthy) Dearing. He grew up in Buchanan, Breman and Tallapoosa GA. The family later moved to Atlanta where Jim attended O'Keefe Junior and Fulton Senior high schools. Jim was always willing to support his family and started helping out in high school with a Sunday morning delivery route for the Atlanta Constitution covering South Grand, Center Hill and Bankhead Avenues. He then worked for RKO Radio Pictures in Atlanta where he met Lex Barker, Jane Russell, Ann Sheridan and shook the hand of Howard Hughes, who was wearing sunglasses and gloves at the time. He served in the US Marine Corps from 1950-1952 in Parris Island SC, Camp Pendleton CA and in Korea achieving the rank of Buck Sergeant. In 1956 he left RKO to work for General Motors in the Lakewood Assembly Plant in Atlanta. He was an inspector and followed his favorite 1965 blue Chevy C-10 truck down the assembly line. His fellow workers applauded as he drove his new truck off the line. Jim retired from General Motors in 1990 after 36 years of service and has enjoyed 25 years of retirement.
Jim and Virginia traveled the world together with their friends in a group nicknamed Ginger's Gypsies. The Gypsies rode the Siberian Express across Russia, walked the Great Wall of China, swam the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, dodged monsoons in India and from Argentina to the United Kingdom enjoyed making new friends and traveling and learning together. Jim's favorite place to visit was Hawaii because there are lots of pretty women in grass skirts and bikinis and he could visit the Arizona Memorial every trip. He also said camping with his family was still the best vacation.
Jim taught Sunday School to four year olds, coached Cobb County Little league and drove the Vacation Bible School bus for many years. He also enjoyed cutting, edging, blowing and perfecting his beautiful lawn because he enjoyed seeing what he could accomplish working in his yard. He could not tolerate seeing trash and litter in a roadway and was frequently seen with gloves and a trash bag picking up trash in his neighborhood, around the Garrett Nature Trail and while roaming with his dogs on his family farm in Douglas County.
Jim said his greatest accomplishment was marrying Virginia Gable, his best splurge was buying a used Cadillac Sedan de Ville from a friend, and his favorite holiday was the Fourth of July because he loved fireworks, parades and patriotic songs.
Jim's funeral will be at the First Baptist Church Powder Springs on Wednesday, August 5th at 2:00 p.m. with interment to follow at Kennesaw Memorial Park Cemetery in Marietta. The family will receive friends Tuesday, August 4th from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Davis-Struempf Funeral Home, Austell. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Cobb County or the charity of your choice. The Dearing family would like to thank the kind, caring, fun staff of Bethel Gardens Assisted and Memory Care in Powder Springs for appreciating Jim's sense of humor, bad jokes and his requests for endless cups of coffee over the last two and a half years. Jim loved Bethel and Bethel loved Jim.
Jim lived his life with honor and a smile always putting his family first and enjoying each moment until his last.
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