James Cecil “Jim” Murray Sr., 69 of Cordele, passed away Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at Crisp Regional Hospital. Funeral services will be held Friday, September 28, 2018 at Lake Blackshear Baptist Church. The committal service will follow in Sunnyside Cemetery.  The family will receive friends Thursday, September 27, 2018 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Rainey Family Funeral Services.

Jim, as he was affectionately known, was born in Cordele to the late James Cosey Murray and Lucille Carpenter Murray. He was a retired salesman from Sportsman’s World of Cordele and Dawson Tarp. He loved his church and church family at Lake Blackshear Baptist where he was an active member and served on the board of deacons.

Jim was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt, and fished competitively for several years.  He enjoyed retirement on Cedar Creek but his passion was spending time with his grandchildren watching them grow up and play sports from baseball to cheerleading.

A loving husband, father and grandfather, Jim is survived by his wife, Diane “Dee” Murray with whom he had celebrated 50 years of marriage in December, 2017; three children, Lisa Gilliam of Cordele, Jim Murray, Jr. of Leesburg and Amanda Cofield and her husband, Justin of Tifton; and six grandchildren, Dalton Gilliam, Dakota Gilliam, Savanna Murray, Flint Murray, Rhett Cofield and Pate Cofield. He was preceded in death by a son Jessie Carl Murray and sisters, Eva Jordan and Luenell Reed.

Arrangements are by Rainey Family Funeral Services. An online guest register is available at www.raineyfuneral.com.