James Howard Ivey—“Jim” or “Jimmy” to those who knew him well—passed from this world to the next on Tuesday, October 29, 2019. It seems like only yesterday that we went for a drive along the Delaware Water Gap so that I could ask his permission to marry his beautiful daughter, Robin. Now, 43 years, three sons, and two grandchildren later, we join his loving and devoted wife of 72 years, Hazel (“Sporty”), along with their son, Doug, and his wife in saying goodbye, at least for now. We know that Jim has joined his parents, Ed and Edith “Lee”, and his younger siblings, Sarah Lee and Eddie Mack, across the River Jordan.
Jim and Hazel raised their family in northern New Jersey where he was a photographer by trade. He was also patient and a peacekeeper; an entrepreneur, singer, sports enthusiast, dog lover to Tara, and man of honor who gave selflessly to family and friends in the community. In his mid-teens, son Doug would say, “If you ever want to sell anything, come to our house as Dad will buy anything from any ‘kid’ selling in the neighborhood.” Everybody in Rockaway knew Jim.
Revered by all who knew him as “the last of the gentlemen”, Jim was born in Madison, Georgia and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina where, as a young teenager, he met the love of his life, Hazel. A man’s man, yet a gentle soul with the hands of a surgeon or pianist, Jim instead used his deft touch on the fairways and around the greens—he was a near-scratch golfer for much of his life. I loved spending a day ‘on the links’ with Jim, as did his son Doug. Jim always gave sage advice about how I could improve my somewhat less than perfect short game. One of the finest golfers at Cross Creek, he served on their Golf Board as Vice President where he and Hazel had a socially active retirement lifestyle.
What Robin most admired about her Dad was that he lived by the old adage, “If you don’t have something nice to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.” We who loved Jim will surely miss him.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park. For Information, please call (239)334-4880.
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