James Markham

James (Jim) Markham was a veteran of the Korean War, a member of the American Legion for decades; the father of three children with Delores Markham, and the extended father of two young adults when he married Mary Etta (Griggs) Markham in 1981.

Mary Etta’s side of the family came to love Jim as much as the family he raised with Delores. Jim’s family likewise came to love Mary Etta and mourned her death in 2017. Our two families spent many Christmas Eves together enjoying the best days of the year. Over time we watched our families expand, and watched our children become parents themselves.

We celebrated marriages, births, mourned untimely deaths, and often lamented our lost family members and the days when we all laughed together and exchanged Christmas gifts.

By the time of his death, Jim—and his first wife Delores—could claim to have a great-great grandchild. While their marriage ended long ago, they also mourned together the unexpected death of a daughter in 2009.

In a blended family love and caring depends on the respect expressed between families. We were lucky in that way, even after Mary Etta’s death. We continued to celebrate Christmas together at Jim’s new home. We joked often about Mary Etta’s cheese balls, especially after one particular year when she produced a bad batch, but Mary Etta Griggs Markham was a great cook, and we all knew our teasing was just a form of love.

For the first time in decades, we won’t have Christmas Eve between our blended families, or with the two people we loved immensely and who headed our special group.

We have lost our patriarch, who died due to a brief illness after 93 years of a wonderful life. Jim visited every state in America except for Alaska, he was fond of saying. He was still making plans for more local travel when he was stricken in late October; three weeks lapsed between the final minutes of life in his Mt. Juliet home to his well-earned eternal rest.

Those who knew Jim understood he was a unique 93-year-old man. “Keep on moving,” he always said about staying active. He worked on projects daily in his wood shop; he played bingo with his Wilson County friends at two different Senior Citizen centers; he attended church every Sunday and drove himself to every venue. He loved people and they loved him back. He cherished Donelson Church of Christ, and its congregation seemed to cherish him more.

Somewhere through the years he transitioned from a friendly but reticent man, to one who enjoyed talking a lot, while always remaining humble. He was proud to show off his various wood working projects, or the puzzles that he built to help keep his mind sharp. His family, in turn, was alway impressed with this man who could do anything.

A pile of impressive jewelry boxes are stacked in his bedroom, waiting for Christmas Eve. We will figure something out this year, but these gifts will be his most precious, though certainly not the largest gifts he ever made us. Our homes are filled with Jim Markham furniture. He called his later years of wood work as “just piddling,” though his smaller works of inlayed art were gorgeous. He was constantly rummaging for wood that he could identify with that artistic mind of his as elegant in its finished product.

In addition, Jim spent many hours “puzzling”—connecting jigsaw cuts usually in the 500- or 600 piece size. Jim would make a wood frame for each puzzle he completed, turning disassembled pieces of cardboard into astonishing works of art. He made them even more impressive with the wood frames he crafted in his wood shop. These idyllic puzzles decorate many halls in his home.

Born on July 2, 1931, in Sumner County’s Cottontown, Tennessee, Jim was a country boy at heart and someone who never disappointed his children with their needs, whether it was to fix a toy many years ago, repair an old car, spare a few extra dollars when college got tough, or boost an early marriage with a a moderate financial contribution. He gave great advice, just quietly. Sometimes it took a few years to appreciate his message.

Jim’s three children with Delores were Pam, Jackie, and Doug. The children Jim gained with Mary Etta were Patti Ingram and Terry Griggs. The names of his grand children, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren are mentioned below in this obituary.

James—referred to just as often as Jim—passed away at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day, just blocks way from where the 2024 Veterans Day Parade was beginning on Broadway Street in downtown Nashville to mark the 11th hour, the 11th day, and the 11th month since the armistice that ended World War 1 in 1918. Our families will recognize this day forevermore as the most coincidental moment in Jim’s life. He never missed a Veterans Day celebration. He was a Commander for American Legion Post 88; he was a statewide Commander in 1992, and he was a member of the Legion’s Color Guard that raised flags to honor fellow veterans and their families. He attended dozens of national conventions held by the American Legion.

In addition to his Legion work, Jim Markham loved dogs, was a hunter, angler, and even a weekend golfer early in his life. He became more of a woodworker and refinisher of antiques after he married Mary Etta. These two traveled all over the country, often with their best friends, to buy antiques and furniture that Jim could refurnish.

Jim retired at age 52 from Western Electric near Nashville’s old fairgrounds. He worked there as a supervisor back when Western Electric made rotary phones. He helped begin the company’s credit union.

Jim was stationed by the U.S. Air Force in Japan during the Korean War and—a bit of a hotrodder in his youth—he owned a motorcycle during his tour. In 2022 he was chosen to represent Korean War Veterans during the “Big Machine Music City Grand Prix” that raced through Nashville. He rode in the pace car and experienced speeds that he had never previously felt in a professional racing vehicle.

Jim had a great life from beginning to end, always overcoming the bumps along the way and always making sure he said thank you to those who helped him and others. His voice message on his home telephone and his cell phone aways ended the same. “Thank a Veteran”.

Jim was much loved by all his families through the many generations of his blessed life. We miss our father, our grandfather, our friend, and our mentor as we will grieve and love him until that day when God allows us to speak again.

James Markham’s Family Members:

Father: George Markham (deceased); Mother: Annie Markham (deceased); Brother: Steve Markham (deceased);

Daughter: Pam Donnaud (Kerry); (Granddaughters: Amanda Ferguson, Lindsey Tuttle); (Great-Grandchildren: Anquan Rucker, Azia Rucker [deceased], Christopher Ervin, Bentley Ervin); (Great-Great Grandchild: Arcadius Rucker);

Daughter: Jackie Markham (deceased); (Granddaughter: Amy Turner); (Great Grandchildren: Michael Edwards, Justin Edwards, Aleena Gladden); (Great-Grandchildren: Makylee Edwards, Brayson Edwards, Lilyana Edwards);

Son: Doug Markham (Dian); (Granddaughter: Sara Peeples);

Stepdaughter: Patti Ingram (Donnie, deceased); (Grandsons: Brook Ingram, Eric Ingram); (Great-Grandchildren: Grey Ingram, Holden Ingram);

Stepson: Terry Griggs (Amanda, deceased); (Granddaughter: Emily Griggs)

Pallbearers: Terry Griggs, Brooks Griggs, Eric Griggs, Kerry Donnaud, Ronnie Rippetoe, Doug Markham

Jim experienced two lengthy struggles with Alzheimer’s Disease. The first was as he watched his mother gradually slip away from this memory-stealing disease; the second as a caretaker for his wife Mary Etta, until the advanced phase of this illness forced him to seek professional help. For these reasons—and knowing millions struggle with the agony of dementia--the family requests that in lieu of flowers (though Jim loved them), please consider a memorial contribution locally to The Forget Me Knots, a member of the Alzheimer’s Association. This online link goes straight to the group’s website:

https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2024/TN-Tennessee?team_id=859080&pg=team&fr_id=17925