James H McMurtry

James H. McMurtry, of Brandon, MS died on Saturday, December 27, 2014 at his home in the peaceful presence of his loving and loyal wife, Linda. He was known as “Mac” or “Mr. Mac” to most all who knew him.

He was born July 29, 1927 in Wilkes-Barr, Pennsylvania, the second of four brothers. As a boy his family moved to central Tennessee where he later joined the Coast Guard in 1945. He attended and played varsity baseball and football at Tennessee Tech University and became a high school teacher and coach.

In 1955, Mac began his career employment with Southern Bell Telephone Company as a linesman, and worked his way to project manager/electrical engineer, from which he retired in 1987. He studied timber-frame construction and spent his first two years of retirement building his own house in Brandon, where he and his wife lived until his passing. Also during his retirement, he and Linda visited every state capitol in the continental U.S., as well as most state high elevation points and many state and national parks. He trail-hiked over 300 miles of the southern end of the Appalachian Trail while in his 60s and early 70s.

In 1964, Mac moved his family to Clinton, Mississippi where he devoted much of his life to Youth Sports, especially summer league baseball and seventh grade boys basketball. His influence reached many young athletes in Clinton, and his example to other parents increased community participation and involvement by many adults who lived there during the 1960s through the 1980s.

Mac was also a devoted supporter of Mississippi College Athletics. He served over twenty years as a volunteer chief of the chain-crew at Mississippi College football games and as a basketball official at Lady Choctaw basketball games. He was awarded the Mississippi College Service to Humanity Award in 1978.

He was predeceased by his own parents, by his first wife, Geraldine (of Clinton, MS) and by his brothers, Jesse, Clark and Gerald (Moe), of Indiana and Tennessee.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Linda Leonard McMurtry, and his children, Marcia (Gay) of Shepherd, TX, Mickey (Eileen) of Marietta, GA, Larry (Julia) of Leake County, MS, Gary of Brandon, MS and Danny Leonard of Richland, MS, two granddaughters, Melanie and Danielle, one grandson, Austin, and one great-granddaughter, Tenley.

The family has scheduled a memorial service for Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. with visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Lakewood Funeral Home of the Lakewood Memorial Park. A private family burial is to follow.