James B. Hutchins, of Covington, passed away Tuesday, September 14, 2021, at the age of 97. James was born on a farm in Five Forks, Gwinnett County, Georgia on August 1, 1924. He served in the United States Army Air Corps as a bomber pilot during World War II. He was the owner and operator of Hutchins Drug Store, in Covington, which later became Medical Arts Pharmacy, from 1952 until his retirement in 2005. James also owned Hutchins Department Store in Covington, The "Hutch", of Covington, and The "Hutch", of Lawrenceville. He attended Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri, and was a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, and of Mercer University with a B.S. degree in Pharmacy. James left a long legacy of public service, including serving as an original member of the Housing Authority of Covington, president of Covington Businessmen's Association (later becoming the Chamber of Commerce), founding member of the Board of Directors of First National Bank (now First Nations Bank), and past president of Kiwanis Club of Covington, where he had been a member for over 50 years. He was a certified dialysis technician and a past member of the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation of Georgia. James was a member of First Baptist Church of Covington, where he had served as a deacon, Sunday School Teacher, and superintendent of the young peoples' department for many years. He was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Rebecca Alford Hutchins; daughter, Becky Hutchins Digby; son, Jimmy Hutchins; stepdaughter, Reneé Hansen; and parents, William Ralph and Bessie Jane Hutchins.

James is survived by his wife, Beth Meadors Hutchins; son-in-law, Dan Digby; granddaughter, Annie Hutchins; stepchildren, Karen Miller (Danny), Lee Meadors (Joy), Elizabeth Giannce (Rod); step grandchildren, Maria Meadors, Lindsey Miller, Jack Meadors, Caroline Meadors, Libby Hansen, Justin Giannce, Ann Marie Giannce, Sean Teichert; sister-in-law, Martha Frances Hutchins; and several step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews

A Funeral Service for James will be held Monday, September 20, 2021, 11:00 A.M., at First Baptist Church of Covington, 1139 Usher Street Northwest, in Covington, with Darrell Huckaby officiating. The Committal Service will be held at 2:00 P.M. at Shadowlawn Cemetery, Atha Street, in Lawrenceville. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Kidney Foundation, https://www.kidney.org/donation, or National Multiple Sclerosis Society, https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate.