James A. Lewis, Sr. age 91, of Hoover, Alabama, passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at Galleria Woods Senior Living Community.
James was born on February 9, 1931 in Clarksville, TN to the late Clay Hogan Lewis, Sr. and Louise Rollow Lewis. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brother, Clay Hogan Lewis, Jr.
Jim graduated from Clarksville High School in 1948, attended Austin Peay State University for two years and graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN in December 1952 as an Electrical Engineer.
He was married to Jane Kay Reasons from Guthrie, KY for 35 years until her death with cancer, November 28, 1986. Their four children are James A. Lewis, Jr. deceased on October 19, 2019, Susan Jane Naugher (Mike) Birmingham, AL, Gail Lee Paysour (Rev. Douglas) Blue Ridge, VA and Jennie Kay McCasland (Mike), Midlothian, VA.
Jim married Carolyn Vaughn Wooten of Clarksville, TN on December 19, 1987. Her children are Norma Lynn Beagle (Keith), Rarity Bay, Knoxville, TN and Daniel Vaughn Wooten (Brenda), Bethesda, TN. Jim and Carolyn enjoyed 34 years of marriage, had 19 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren and traveled extensively all over the world after Jim’s retirement from South Central Bell in April, 1991, in Birmingham, AL as Assistant Vice President of Engineering. His career included six years of active and reserve duty in Naval Air. He resigned commission as Lieutenant in the Reserve in 1959 because of work and travel with South Central Bell. Jim spent most of his career in Traffic and Engineering in New York City, NY, Atlanta, GA, Chattanooga, TN, Nashville, TN and Birmingham, AL. He received extensive training at Bell Labs in New Jersey and then worked for AT&T Headquarters in New Your City in Electronics switching all over the United States. 17 years of his career was spent in Nashville, TN as Traffic and Equipment Engineer for the State of Tennessee. Jim was promoted in 1980 to the position of Department Head in Traffic and Engineering for the States of Tennessee and Kentucky, while in Tennessee, he served as President of the Association for Retarded Children, President of Tennessee Mental Health Association and President of Tennessee Telephone Pioneers Association. With reorganization and downsizing of Bell South, Jim was transferred again to Birmingham, Al in 1987 as Assistant Vice President of Engineering until his retirement in April, 1991.
During Jim’s career with the Bell Systems he saw the company progress from manual switchboards with operators asking customers “number please” to all automatic electronics switching. He also worked at Bell Labs on the cell phone, which after much delay, because of allocation of radio frequencies by the FCC is now our “smart Phone”. This one devise has made major changes in our lives.
A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Riverchase United Methodist Church, 1953 Old Montgomery Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35244, with Rev. Doug Paysour and Rev. Scott Barnes officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 PM until the hour of service.
Arrangements are entrusted to Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home, 1510 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN 37040; (931) 213-7631. Online condolences may be made at www.nealtarpleyparchman.com.