James F. McGimsey

James F. McGimsey, Jr., 88, died peacefully in his sleep, Monday, August 14, 2006 at Morganton Long Term Care. He was born July 13, 1918 in Salisbury, NC, and was a son of the late James Franks McGimsey, Sr. and Margaret Claywell McGimsey. He was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Morganton. James was a veteran of World War II, serving as a physician in the US Army and stationed in England. After the war, he did a residency at the Baroness Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN where he met his wife. He then went on for further residency training at the Bellevue Hospital and the New York Hospital. In 1953, he moved back to Morganton where he went into private practice. In 1955, he started working at Broughton Hospital, but then transferred to Emory University where he did a residency in psychiatry. Dr. McGimsey returned to Morganton in the fall of 1972 where he worked at Western Carolina Center until his retirement. He had also worked at the Western Youth Institute in Morganton.

James is survived by his wife of 56 years, Louise Clark McGimsey of the home and originally from Ringgold, GA; children, James Franks McGimsey, III of Mt. Dora, FL; Judith McGimsey Baker and husband, Gregory of Cincinnatti, Ohio, John Clark McGimsey and wife, Li Jie of Charlotte, NC, William Claywell McGimsey of Houston, TX, and Thomas Clinton McGimsey and wife, Anne of Dublin, Ireland; grandchildren, Jamie McGimsey, IV, Collier Baker, Tommy McGimsey, Kieran McGimsey, Clara McGimsey, Lua McGimsey, and J. J. McGimsey; and a brother, Edward McGimsey of Morganton.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, August 18, 2006 at Forest Hill Cemetery with Rev. Dr. Sydnor Thompson, III officiating. The family will receive friends Thursday from 7:00 until 8:00 pm at Sossoman Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 200 N. King St., Morganton, NC 28655, or to the Alzheimer’s Association, Mountain Office, 31 College Place, Ste D 320, Asheville, NC 28801-2644.