Jimmy Mosteller's Obituary
James William "Jimmy" Mosteller of Mableton, GA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 4, 2012, at Spring Mountain Assisted Living facility in Marietta, GA. He was 85.
The loving husband of Betty, his sweetheart of 63 years who preceded him in death, he was also the beloved father of Debbie and her husband Short Allen; the very proud grandfather of Melissa, Christi, Ryan, Matt, and Hayley; and a devoted great-grandfather to Drew, Lindsey, Tanner, and Mia.
Born on October 26, 1926, in Roswell, Georgia, Jimmy began his lifelong career with Hav-a-tampa Cigars which spanned 45 years. He rose through the ranks having first began sweeping floors in the stockroom, then upwards to Salesman, Sales Manager, Vice President, and Senior Vice President. He retired from Hav-a-Tampa in 1994.
Despite never competing behind the wheel of a racecar, Jimmy Mosteller was also a racing legend. He began announcing horse racing and horse shows in the 1940s after beginning his career as a horse jockey. The awards and recognition soon followed. He was a NASCAR/MARC/SRE/IND racing announcer since 1949; Southern Racing Enterprise's 1954 "Voice of the Speedways;" and Dixie and Rome Speedways' 1993 Living Legends Award winner. In 2000, he was inducted into The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame, and he was the 2003 Inductee into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. In 2007, he also received the Living Legend of Auto Racing Award and was inducted into the Daytona Hall of Fame.
A pioneer in the world of auto racing, Jimmy Mosteller will be forever remembered as everyone's "Little Bitty Buddy" ... a smile on his face, a cigar in his mouth, and a microphone in his hand.
When asked recently what he felt the key to life was, he responded, "It's quite simple really. I've lived an amazing life, and one thing's for certain: it's all about living, loving, and laughing. If you've got that, my friend, you've pretty much got it all."
The family will receive friends at funeral home on Friday, July 6, from 2-8 p.m. Funeral services will be in the Davis-Struempf Chapel on Saturday, July 7, at 10 a.m. Arrangements entrusted to Davis-Struempf Funeral Home & Crematory, Austell. www.davisstruempf.com
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