James M. Gram, 91, of Soddy-Daisy, passed away on Friday, August 9, 2019.
Born April 24, 1928 to Milton Gram and Ruth Wilson Gram, he was raised on a dairy farm near Syracuse, New York with brothers Richard and Frederic. He graduated Valedictorian of Fabius Central in the class of 1946. After four years at New York State College of Forestry James enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was discharged at T/SGT in 1954.
Jim followed his Forestry training for much of his life, both in local wood-working plants and later overseeing the acreage at the TNT plant. When production there ceased, he opened Gram’s Landscaping Services with his sons from 1973-2010.
He served on the Soddy-Daisy Falling Water Utility District Board of Directors for 13 years and on the Soddy-Daisy Zoning Board of Appeals. James was a member of Soddy United Methodist Church since 1952. He was a 50 years member of the Soddy Masonic Lodge #418 F.&A.M. and the Mayflower Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. He received a 25-year service pin with the Soddy-Daisy Food Bank where he was Treasurer.
He and Virginia Daughtrey from Soddy were married in 1952 and raised three sons, David (Pandora), Alan and Billy (Deede) and daughter, Cathy (David), plus grandchildren Jenny Vanderburg (Andy), Alex Birghental (Mike), James Tidwell and Michael Tidwell and great-grandchildren, Abby, Sadie and Luke Vanderburg.
Visitation is Saturday, August 10, 2019 from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home. He will lie in state Sunday, August 11, 2019 from 2-3 p.m. at Soddy United Methodist Church with services beginning at 3 p.m. at the church with Rev. Todd Kingrea officiating. Burial will follow at Varner Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Soddy-Daisy Food Bank, P.O. Box 1468, Soddy-Daisy, TN 37384 or to Angela Fuller in care of Varner Cemetery Association, 415 Graham Road, Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379.
Condolences and memories can be shared at www.williamsonandsons.com.
Arrangements are by Williamson and Sons Funeral Home, 8852 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379.