James Woodruff (JW) Felts, Jr., 92, passed away Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Columbia Cottage assisted-living facility in Florence, AL. Visitation will be Thursday, January 25, at Elkins Funeral Home in Florence from 10-11:30 a.m., followed by interment at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens cemetery. The Rev. Kevin Johnson of First Baptist Church, Florence, will officiate.
Mr. Felts was born on March 22, 1931, the first of four children born to Cora Pauline Tomlin Felts and James Woodruff Felts. He attended the Nashville City Schools system and later served with distinction for eight years in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve, seeing action in the Korean War.
As a civilian, JW was an employee at South Central Bell for three decades. He and his wife, Bobbie Smith Felts, also shared a love of gardening and turned their green thumbs into a plant nursery business they operated at their Florence residence for many years, later building several greenhouses and expanding the operation to Koonce Drive.
JW was a Master Mason and member of Sheffield Lodge 503, F & AM, and amateur radio operator.
Mr. Felts was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Bobbie; son, Patrick Lee Felts; and three younger siblings, Jerry Maurice Felts, Anne Ruth Pegram and Barbara ‘Bobbie’ Nell Luttrell.
He is survived by niece Kim Bevis of Florence and her children, Katherine Bevis Robertson of Athens and Benjamin Bevis of Killen; and nephew Jerry Felts, Jr., of Madison and his daughter, Taylor Felts of Birmingham.
Friends and family members will serve as pallbearers.
The family wishes to thank Ericka Motes Guyton, Heather Bradford and the staff from Columbia Cottage and his longtime physician Dr. Danny McFall for their benevolence and care for Mr. Felts. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the Cramer Children’s Center in Florence.
