"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts" – William Shakespeare.
James Orion Connelly Jr. sadly passed away on June 9, 2023, at the age of 80.
James was born on March 9, 1943, in Atlanta, Ga., the son of James Orion Connelly Sr. and Lillie Edwards Connelly.
He attended Rhinehart College in Waleska, Ga., and graduated from Oglethorpe University with a degree in Liberal Arts.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966-1969 as a radio operator. He also served as a telecommunication specialist for the government and a radio officer in the Merchant Marine.
After leaving the military, he earned his Master of Arts at the University of Mississippi, an Ed.D. at the University of Memphis and had over 30 years of fulfilling work within the educational field. He was a director, professor and author. He worked at the University of Memphis from 1984-2000. He also taught at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the University of Phoenix.
Jimmy was a gifted photographer, an accomplished classical guitarist and loved spending time researching his family's genealogy. He was a very talented writer and wrote a beautiful memoir of growing up in rural Georgia, recounting his father's colorful sayings with humor and affection.
He is survived by his daughters, Courtney Connelly of Westminster, Colo., Erin Cottingham of Austin, Texas; stepson, Ralph S. Hunt IV of Memphis, Tenn.; and his brother, Terry Connelly of Atlanta, Ga.; as well as his five grandchildren.
He is laid to rest in Hollywood Cemetery in Hot Springs, Ark.
Online condolences at http://www.caruth-hale.com.