James Odell Sowell

Services for James Odell Sowell, age 88 of Oakfield, TN, will be held today, May 25, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the North Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons with Steve Osborne and Steve Massey officiating. Burial will follow in Oakfield Cemetery.

Mr. Sowell passed away peacefully with his family at his bedside on Saturday, May 23, 2015 at Jackson Madison County General Hospital.

Mr. Sowell was born on August 17, 1926 in Oakfield, TN to the late John T. Sowell and Beulah Osborne Sowell. He lived his entire life in the Oakfield Community. He attended the Madison County Schools of Oakfield, Fairview, and North Side. He was drafted in the U.S. Navy from which he received an honorable discharge in January 1945. He worked at the New Southern Hotel for some time and then Haynes Distributing Company for several years before going to work at Consolidated Aluminum Corporation from which he retired with 29 ½ years of service. After retiring he enjoyed fishing, camping, and farming.

Mr. Sowell was known as the “Candy Man” by the nurses and other personnel at the Jackson Clinic as he would leave candy at their stations when he walked by.

Mr. Sowell is survived by his wife of 60 years, the former Peggy Lamon of Humboldt, TN whom he wed on July 10, 1954. Other survivors include his daughter Ann Sowell of Oakfield; sons, James Sowell and wife Kathy of Oakfield and Jerry Sowell of Humboldt, TN; his grandson Tyler Sowell and fiancé Monica Check of Lexington; sister, Christine Sisk of Jackson; brother, Edward Sowell and wife Billie Ruth of Jackson; and his half-sister, Jo Ann Gowan and husband Earl of Jackson.

He was a lifelong member of the former Oakfield United Methodist Church.

Active pallbearers to serve will be James Sowell, Jerry Sowell, Tyler Sowell, Tommy Sowell, Bradley Osborne, Anthony Williams, and Bill Rowan.

His brother, Edward Sowell, will serve as an honorary pallbearer.

The family would like to thank Ms. Sue Ross and Ms. Joy Parker for their wonderful care given to him these past two years.

The family received friends yesterday evening at the funeral home and will receive friends today beginning at 1 p.m., one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.