Obituary of Jimmy Ray Nixon

Funeral service for Rev. Jimmy Ray Nixon, 67, of Heflin, will be Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 2 PM at the chapel of Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega. Rev. Pete West, Rev. Gary Ward, and Rev. Lenox Mallory will officiate and burial will be in Eureka United Methodist Cemetery. He passed away May 25, 2012 in Georgia. He is preceded in death by his parents Willard and Etha Nixon. Rev. Nixon is survived by his wife Nancy Riley Nixon, step-daughter, Jaime Duran (Dexter Ray) Laird, two grandsons, Jacob Riley Walker and James Maxwell Laird. Rev. Nixon was a native of Birmingham, AL and attended Phillips High School. He received his BS, MA and AA Teaching Certificate from Montevallo University. He started his teaching career at L. Frazier Banks High School which led to him becoming the assistant principal and boy’s advisor. He was principle at Moody Elementary School, Coal City Elementary, and Ashville Elementary, where he served 12 years. It was during this time he felt the call into the ministry so he served part time at Short Creek UMC, Eureka UMC and Ragland UMC. In 1995, he retired from St. Clair County School System and went into full time ministry, serving: Bemiston UMC of Talladega, returned to Eureka UMC for a period of time, Goshen UMC at Piedmont, AL, Fairview UMC at Centre, AL, and Equality UMC, Equality, AL, where he retired in 2007. He was called into part-time ministry and served for 3 years at Bethlehem Campground UMC in Graham AL. He then retired again in June 2011. He received his Course of Study and Advanced Course of Study from Emory University which lead to his ordination as an Elder in Full Connection in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. He loved to read, fish, camping and traveling. He had just returned from Egypt, Israel, Greece and The Holy Land. Pallbearers will be Bart Young, Chad Young, Jerry Ramsey, Ray Mac Wiggins, Jim Kauffman, Harvey Ward, Mike Burdette, Doyle Brookins and Gerry Runyan Honorary pallbearers will be the doctors, nurses, chaplains, and staff with Peach Tree Christian Hospice. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be sent to The Peach Tree Christian Hospice, 3430 Duluth Park Lane, Duluth, GA 30096. www.usreyfuneralhome.com