James Arthur Bobbitt, Jr. died Wednesday, July 15 at St Francis Hospital in Memphis following surgery. He was born in Gibson, Tennessee March 2, 1925, the son of the late James Arthur Bobbitt and Una Austin Bobbitt, both long-time educators. They moved to Lexington, Tennessee shortly after his birth. He attended Lexington City School and Lexington High School, where he was valedictorian of his class of 1942. Following graduation he worked at the Lexington Post Office and at Central State Bank prior to entering Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas and graduating summa cum laude in the class of 1949. Following his graduation from Harding, he began a banking career in Memphis at Union Planters Bank and later at State Savings Bank, where he was a Vice President. After State Savings merged with National Bank of Commerce, he became Manager of NBC's Civic Center Branch until his retirement in 1984. On July 2, 1949 he was married to Gladys Blevins of Parkin, Arkansas who survives along with their three daughters Meredeth (Morris) Legg of Cooper City, Florida, Martha (Terry Joe) Kee of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Marie (Joey) Marlin of Bartlett, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Evelyn Bobbitt and Julia Bloomingburg, both of Lexington. He was predeceased by his sister Ruth Bobbitt French of Byhalia, Mississippi and his brother Austin Bobbitt of Lexington. He was a member of Forest Hill Church of Christ, where he served as elder and treasurer there and at its predecessor Knight Arnold Church of Christ for 40 years. He enthusiastically supported the work of the Memphis School of Preaching and worked to secure the N. B. Hardeman Library on its campus. Visitation will be Thursday, July 16, 6-9 p.m. at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel and the funeral service will be 1 p.m., July 17 at Forest Hill Church of Christ, 3950 Forest Hill-Irene Rd., Memphis, Tennessee 38125, with burial at Crittenden Memorial Cemetery in Marion, Arkansas. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar (901)725-0100 www.memphisfuneralhome.net

The Commercial Appeal July 16, 2009