James Roy “Jim” Garner, Captain, U.S. Army, Retired, 81, passed away on August 31, 2026, surrounded by his family at Vanderbilt Medical Center. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend—and a man who never met a stranger.
Born in Harvey, Cook County, Illinois, on December 5, 1944, Jim lived a life marked by love, laughter, faith, friendship, service to his country, and a genuine love for people. He had a way about him that made you feel like you had known him forever.
If Jim was in the room, chances are there was a story being told, a laugh being shared, and somebody feeling a little happier because he was there.
At just 17 years old, Jim proudly joined the United States Army and began a lifetime of service to his country. He eventually retired as a Captain, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of courage, honor, and devotion to duty.
During his military career, Jim served as a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, a CH-47 Chinook pilot, and a proud member of the U.S. Army Pistol Team. He was a highly decorated serviceman, receiving numerous medals and commendations, including fourteen Air Medals, a Bronze Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Jim received the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight during the Vietnam Conflict. Even after retiring from active duty in 1982, Jim continued to serve his country by teaching marksmanship at Fort Campbell.
But while Jim was proud of his military service, it was only one part of the man he was.
Jim had many passions in life, but few compared to his love of the outdoors. He had a lifelong love of bass fishing, which eventually became a second career and took him all over the country. He hosted tournaments with Bassing America, the American Bass Association, and the Military Bass Anglers Association.
And when Jim wasn’t working a tournament, he was happiest with a fishing rod in his hand and a body of water in front of him. The Cumberland River, Lake Barkley, and Kentucky Lake were among his favorite places to be. For Jim, fishing was never just about catching a fish. It was about being outdoors, telling stories, enjoying good company, and making memories.
Jim was also an avid deer hunter. For the last 22 years of his life, he looked forward to making the annual trip to Iowa with a group of close friends. Those trips became a special tradition—filled with good fellowship, plenty of stories, and, of course, hunting. For Jim, though, it was never about the trophy or the bragging rights.
It was all about the deer meat.
He loved coming home with a freezer full of venison and sharing it with family and friends.
The Iowa hunting trips were yet another reflection of what Jim enjoyed most in life: good friends, the great outdoors, a good story, and something good to eat when it was all over.
As a National Tournament Director, Jim and his family moved to Carrollton, Texas. After several years with Bassing America, he spent time working in the exterminator business before he and Susan returned to Clarksville in 2007.
No matter what Jim was doing, though, one thing never changed: he loved people.
Jim was one of those rare people who seemed to have a friend everywhere he went. He was outgoing, quick with a smile, and always ready with a helping hand. He could fix just about anything, figure out just about anything, and if he couldn’t, he probably knew somebody who could.
But perhaps Jim’s greatest gift was the way he made people feel.
He had a remarkable ability to make every person he met feel like the most important person in the room.
He never met a stranger. A quick conversation with Jim could turn into a friendship, and a chance meeting could turn into a story that would be told for years. He loved to laugh, loved to talk, and loved making somebody else’s day just a little bit better.
In his later years, Jim could often be found at the Nashville and Fort Campbell Flea Markets, where he enjoyed trying to make a dollar. But those who knew him best knew that the money was never really the point.
The people were.
He loved meeting someone new, striking up a conversation, making somebody laugh, lending a helping hand, or simply brightening someone’s day. Wherever Jim went, he left something behind—a smile, a story, a helping hand, or a new friend.
And then, of course, there was his family.
Above all the places he traveled, the tournaments he directed, the fish he caught, and the many things he accomplished, Jim’s greatest pride was the family he and Susan built together.
Jim was a devoted husband to Susan (Sitton) Garner for 49 years, and a loving father and grandfather. He treasured his family and took great joy in watching the family grow through the generations. He built his legacy not only through his service and accomplishments, but through the countless lives he touched along the way.
Jim is survived by his wife of 49 years, Susan (Sitton) Garner; his sons, Kip (Kay) Atchley, Alan (Deborah) Garner, and Ace (Lena) Garner; his daughter, Missy (Mike) Weaver; his grandchildren, Spencer (Brooke), Anna (Nick), Abigail, Emily (Austin), Macy, Heatherly (Roman), Kelsey, and Kip (Haley); and numerous great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Macy Garner; his brothers, Charles Garner, Billy Jack Garner, and Jimmy Shavers; and his infant son, Christopher Garner.
Jim lived a life that was full—not because of the medals on his chest or the accomplishments beside his name, but because of the people he loved and the people who loved him.
He served his country.
He loved his family.
He chased fish.
He told stories.
He made friends.
He lent a helping hand.
And he made people laugh.
Most of all, Jim made people feel like they mattered.
That may be the greatest legacy a man can leave.
Those who knew Jim will miss his smile, his stories, his laughter, his generosity, and that unmistakable way he had of making an ordinary day a little more fun. They will miss seeing him walk through the door and hearing him say hello.
They will miss the conversations that were supposed to last five minutes but somehow lasted an hour.
He never met a stranger, never passed up a chance to help, and never let an opportunity to make someone smile pass him by. The world is a little quieter without Jim in it, but the lives he touched will carry his laughter, kindness, and love forward.
That was Jim. And what a life he lived.
A memorial service celebrating Jim’s life will be scheduled at a later date.
Arrangements Entrusted to Scottsboro Funeral Home
