William James Hannon Sr.

William James (Jim) Hannon, Sr., aged 85, died peacefully at home in Germantown, Tennessee, with family by his side on Sunday, December 4, 2022, following a long illness. Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Lois Virginia (Ginny) Dear Hannon.

Jim was born on February 8, 1937 in Florence, Mississippi, the oldest of two children born to Jewel Lee Hannon and Earl Ted Hannon. He graduated from Florence High School and attended Mississippi College and the Memphis Academy of Arts.

An artist and graphic designer, Jim began his professional life working as a layout artist for the Yellow Pages. He would go on to establish his own advertising agency, Hannon & Associates, and was a respected part of the advertising industry in Jackson, Mississippi, for many years.

Jim was an avid reader of World War II history and Churchill biographies, as well as fiction of all kinds, especially books about the British Royal Navy in the 19th Century. He was well known for his skills in home carpentry and always had multiple projects he was working on, usually for Ginny. Jim loved being on the water, boating and waterskiing both at Lake Bruin, Louisiana, and the reservoir in Brandon, Mississippi. He also enjoyed working outdoors at his home on Coker Road in Madison, Mississippi, where he loved spending time with his grandchildren (who called him Pawpaw) and his many friends and neighbors.

Jim is survived by his sister Linda Patterson (Ray) of Knoxville, Tennessee; his son William James Hannon, Jr. (Sara) of Germantown, Tennessee; and his daughter Amy Shawn Pennington (David) of South Lake Tahoe, California. Jim was loved by his four grandchildren: Madeline Lee Pennington, Lauren Olivia Pennington, Elizabeth Louise (Elise) Hannon, and William James (Will) Hannon, III. He is also survived by his niece Caryl Fletcher (Andrew), their daughter Grace, and his nephew Chad Jeffrey Withers (Elizabeth), and their daughters Katherine Dear and Margaret Quinn.

Reverend Scott Jones will officiate the memorial service to be held on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Parkway Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Visitation will be held from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. before the service on Saturday. Interment of his ashes will take place at a later date.

Memorials can be made to the Mississippi Animal Rescue League, Twin Lakes Baptist Church, or the charity of your choice.

The family would like to thank the Baptist Hospice Team in Memphis, Tennessee, for their wonderful care.