James Carlyle Dempsey III

Jimbo, as he was known to his family and friends, was born on December 5, 1944 in Wilson, the eldest son of the late Katharine Fleming Dempsey and James Carlyle Dempsey, junior. In 1963, he graduated from Ralph L. Fike High School, where he proudly wore number 22 as a starting guard on the varsity basketball team. He earned a BS in political science from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves from 1967 to 1973 aboard the United States Coast Guard Cutter Mendotta, stationed in Wilmington.

In his last weeks, Jimbo received the wonderful gifts of visits and calls from his close friends and family members. These devoted, lifelong friends brought him so much joy. Whether fondly recalling memories from his childhood in Wilson, antics from the Zete house, or vivid details from many a party, there was no shortage of material for storytelling in these final days. The subject often returned to Jimbo’s love of golf and, in particular, his short game, the stuff of local lore.

Jimbo loved spending time with his family and friends, selling real estate, following Carolina basketball religiously, attending his grandsons’ games and matches, sitting on the deck in Emerald Isle with the newspaper, spending a beautiful day on the golf course, reading voraciously, completing his daily crossword puzzle, pulling for the Redskins, the Panthers, the Red Sox and the Braves, listening to Elvis Presley, tuning into Jeopardy, watching PGA golf tournaments, and enjoying his nightly scotch and water “in a tall glass with a lot of ice”.

Jimbo was preceded in death by his parents, Jimmie and Tassie; his brother, Julian Lane Dempsey; and his sister, Katharine Dempsey Rogers.

He is survived by his partner, Vivian Speight Powell; his daughter, Elizabeth Dempsey Merritt, and her husband, John Douglas Merritt, junior, of Raleigh; his son, James Carlyle Dempsey IV (Jim), of New Orleans, LA; and his beloved grandsons, John Douglas Merritt III (Jack), George Gilliam Merritt and William Fleming Merritt. He is also survived by his brother, Charles Connor Dempsey and his wife, Anne Bird Dempsey, of Wilson; his sister-in-law, Mary Helen Dempsey, of Wilson; his brother-in-law, Edgar Eugene Rogers, of Charlotte; and his three nephews and their families.

A private family burial will be held at the columbarium at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Wilson.

Thank you to the many doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals who treated Jimbo and to the wonderful people of Hospice who provided great comfort, care and peace to him in his last weeks.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Transitions LifeCare of Wake County, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne, Saint Mary's Street Raleigh, NC.