James Caldwell Morris

Published 10:50 am Wednesday, August 7, 2024

James “Jim” Caldwell Morris, age 75, of Iron City, GA, passed away Monday morning, August 5, 2024, at his residence.

Funeral services for Mr. Morris will be held on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Chapel of Evans-Skipper Funeral Home with Rev. James Scarborough officiating.  Interment will follow at Rock Pond Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery (Olive Grove) with Neal Freeman, Kevin Dowdy, Mike Murphy, Marlin Johnson, Greg Pla, and Frank Green serving as active pallbearers.  Members of the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office will serve as honorary pallbearers.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at 10:00 AM at the funeral home.

Mr. Morris was born in Gadsen, AL on July 4, 1949, to James McCoy Morris and Georgia Mateer Morris.  He graduated from Leon County High School in Tallahassee, FL in 1966. Mr. Morris worked for the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department for 42 years before his retirement.  He served as Chief Deputy for the majority of those 42 years.  Chief Deputy Morris was the first officer in the state of Georgia to use DNA to solve a case, and at the time of his retirement, he was the longest tenured Chief Deputy in the state of Georgia.  Mr. Morris was an avid collector of old archeological relics and Spanish artifacts, and he attended and participated in as many relic shows as he possibly could. He enjoyed watching NASCAR, as well as cheering on the Noles of FSU and the Dawgs of UGA (it was a house divided but Darlene thinks she just about had him won over to the Dawgs).  Jim loved his children and grandchildren and spending time with his family was of the utmost importance to him.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 31 years, Darlene Mathews Morris of Iron City, GA; his sisters, Lynn Ezell of Alamagorda, New Mexico and Leslie Morris of Iron City, GA; and his children, Pam Courtney of Maryville, TN, Buddy Morris of Nashville, TN, Carrie Jeffries of Townsend, TN, Stacie Gaskins and husband Justin of Valdosta, GA, and Brian Smith and wife Jenny of Massapequa, NY. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Landon Courtney, Lauren Myers, Grayson Myers, Sam Jeffries, Emma Morris, Hunter Gaskins, Payton Gaskins, Ryder Gaskins, Scarlett Gaskins, Sebastian Smith, and Svejtlana Smith, as well as his sister-in-law, Debra Mathews Mclendon and her husband Russell.

Mr. Morris was preceded in death by his parents, James McCoy Morris and Georgia Mateer Morris.