James Edward Waldrip

James Edward Waldrip, resident of the Piney Grove community, United States Veteran and husband of Donna Waldrip, departed this life Tuesday afternoon, March 4, 2014 at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. He was 83 years of age and died following a brief illness.

Mr. Waldrip was born July 13, 1930 in Taylor, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucious McEwen Waldrip and Maude Lucretia Brown Waldrip, and his brother Robert Waldrip. He received his education in the Lafayette, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee Public School Systems and proudly served his country as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army during the Korean War Period. During his service, he became the top rated instructor of the Field Telephone School in the Signal Corps. Mr. Waldrip was employed by AT&T and BellSouth for over 35 years before his retirement in 1986. He was involved in several conversions of Memphis area telephone systems from analog to digital technology.

Mr. Waldrip was of the Baptist faith and had been a resident of the Hickory Withe community in Fayette County from 1960 to 1994 and the Piney Grove community in Hardeman County since 1994. He was married August 8, 1953 to the former Donna Wiley, who survives.

Mr. Waldrip’s many interests included carpentry, caring for his yard and garden, and participating in Neighborhood Watch and the Baptist Disaster Relief program. He was a founding member of First Baptist Church of Hickory Withe and served as a deacon. He also served as a deacon at First Baptist Church of Oakland and was presently a member of Piney Grove Baptist Church. He participated in disaster relief efforts over the years as part of a joint effort between Baptist Disaster Relief and the American Red Cross. Major efforts included natural disasters in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, among others. He was also involved in recent years in the Silerton Volunteer Fire Department.

In addition to his wife of 60 years, Mr. Waldrip is survived by his sister, Eleanor Wood of LaVerkin, UT, his daughter, Sherryl McCulley of Dresden, TN and her husband, Dr. Donald McCulley; his son, David Waldrip of Germantown, TN and his wife, Susan Waldrip; two grandchildren, Becky McCulley of Dresden, TN and Matthew McCulley and his wife Shelly of St. Louis, MO.

The family requests that memorials be directed to Piney Grove Baptist Church, the Wesley Cemetery Fund, or Gideons International.