James Reed Bellows, Sr. (Jim) died peacefully on October 6, 2016. He was born September 14, 1927 to Ruth and Charles Bellows in Selma, Alabama. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Sears Bellows, his brothers, Charles and Robert, and his sister Margaret. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Bellows Rogers (husband Boyd) and son, James Reed Bellows, Jr. (wife Sharon Kerr). He also leaves behind a beloved grandson, Matthew James Lauver.
Jim worked nearly all his life in the movie business. He started working as an usher at the Lyric Theater in Birmingham, Alabama while in high school and, after graduation, was promoted to assistant manger. After being drafted into the Army in 1946, he was sent to Germany where he managed the Capital Theater in Augsburg for the 9th Infantry Division. After his stint in the army, he returned to Birmingham where he managed the Temple Theater for a year before being transferred to the Charles Theater in Montgomery, Alabama. He later returned to Birmingham where he worked at the Strand Theater. He met his future wife, Mary Katherine Sears, after hiring her to work for him at the theater. They married in 1953 and the day after they were married, they moved to Greensboro.
From 1953 to 1975, Jim was part owner and manager of the Center Theater in downtown Greensboro (now the Cone Denim Entertainment Center) as well as the South and Skyline Drive-in theaters. After the theaters were sold in the mid-1970’s, he remained part of the theater business by working first for a company that supplied theaters and later, for a company, Carmike, that built theaters. While working for Carmike, he traveled all over the United States building theaters. After over 58 years in the movie business, he retired in 2001.
His family meant everything to him. The sudden loss of his wife Mary in 1995 caused him great sorrow; it was a loss he never got over. He loved his children, Linda and Jimmy, with all his heart and helped them throughout their lives in ways large and small. Their professional accomplishments were the source of much pride for him. He adored his son-in-law, Boyd. Jim was thrilled when, just last year, his son, Jimmy, married a wonderful woman, Sharon. Though he was in a wheelchair by the time of the wedding, he did not let this keep him from fulfilling his duties as best man. Decked out in a white dinner jacket and pink socks, he celebrated the event with gusto.
But it was being a grandfather that perhaps gave him the most joy. He spent many hours with his grandson Matthew, taking him out to dinner for countless plates of wings, going with him to the beach, helping him build things in “Paw Paw’s workshop,”and watching him play football and lacrosse. He was immensely proud of Matthew when he graduated this past May from North Carolina State University.
Later in life, Jim became a dedicated dog lover. After his wife, Mary, died, Jim adopted two dogs to keep him company, Maggie and Katie. He spoiled them rotten and treated them as close family members. He also loved to travel – he often said that his days on the road traveling across the United States to build movie theaters were some of the happiest of his life. He made two trips to Germany; he talked frequently about his trips there and longed to return. Until he became too ill to travel, he was the host of the annual Bellows Family Beach trip. Jim will be remembered by his family for many things, but two things stand out -- his handyman skills (he always traveled with a tool box) and his corny (but usually funny) snappy one-liners. He will be greatly missed by his family who loved him very much.
Jim was a member of Jamestown United Methodist Church and though in the last few years he did not have the strength to attend services, he remained close with his church family. Jim enjoyed the many visits from his church family at his assisted living facility over the past two years.
The family wishes to offer its sincere appreciation to his nurse Nancy from the Hospice of the Piedmont for her outstanding and compassionate care of dad. Knowing that Hospice was there gave the family much comfort in dad’s last days. The family also appreciates the kindness and consideration shown to dad by his caregivers at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living.
A Celebration of his Life will be held on Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at Jamestown United Methodist Church, 403 East Main Street, Jamestown, NC. Visitation with the family will be held from 2:00 to 3:00 immediately prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his honor to the Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262 (hospiceofthepiedmont.org) or to the Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at ASPCA Tributes, 520 8th Ave. 7th Floor, New York, NY 10018 (or on-line at aspca.org).
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