Lt. Col. James Marshal "Jim" Anderson, Sr.

GATLINBURG, TN – Lt. Col. James Marshal “Jim” Anderson, Sr., age 86, of Gatlinburg, passed away Thursday, August 17, 2023, at NHC Place, Cool Springs in Franklin, TN.

Graveside services are 2 pm, Sunday, August 20, at the Ames Plantation Cemetery in Grand Junction, TN.

He was a 1954 graduate of Batesville (MS) High School.  He attended Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, TN, and received his AS in Agriculture from Northwest Mississippi Community College.  He graduated from Mississippi State University with a BS in Animal Husbandry, MS in Animal Nutrition, and PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee.

The son of the late Lewis Monroe Anderson and Mozelle Catherine Massey Anderson and a native of Batesville MS, he had lived in Maryville, TN from 1962 -1969, Stoneville, MS from 1969-70, Leland, MS from 1970-76, Grand Junction 1976-2003 and retired to Gatlinburg where he lived until late 2022.

While living in Grand Junction, Jim Anderson was Assistant Superintendent of the Ames Plantation for 3 years before becoming Superintendent for 23 years and retiring at the end of 2022.  Previously, he had been a researcher at the Stoneville Branch Experiment Station in Mississippi and had worked as an agricultural economist at MSU in Starkville.

An active member of the Church of Christ in Grand Junction and in Pigeon Forge, he served both congregations faithfully as a Bible class teacher and Elder.  Among his favorite pastimes were reading and studying the Bible with Job and Revelation being two of his favorites.

Threaded through 34 years of his life was his service as an enlisted man and officer in the Mississippi and Tennessee Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.  He completed active-duty schooling at Fort Knox in 1962 to qualify for service as an Armor Officer, graduated from Fort Knox’s Advanced Armor Officer School, Fort Belvoir’s Advanced Engineer Officer School, and the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  Subsequently, he served on the Adjunct Faculty of the Command and General Staff College evaluating written requirements by students enrolled in the tactical training program.  Prior to his retirement in July of 1989 as a Lieutenant Colonel with 34+ years of service, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Dezmere Marie “Autumn Moon” Anderson for whom he was primary caretaker nearly 30 years.  She departed this life on Thursday, October 24, 2019. He also was preceded by seven half sisters and brothers, Elsie, Sarah, Bertha, Bertie, Lillian, Lewis, Tommy.

Jim is survived by sons, James (Cindy) Anderson of Franklin, TN, Robert (Sherrie) Anderson of Killen, AL, Edwin Anderson of Gainesville, VA and Tim Anderson of Iowa Falls, IA; grandchildren, Tucker (Sara), Connor (Jessica), McKenzie, Seth, Lainee, Hannah, Jesse, Gracie, and Peyton; and great-grandchildren, August and Philip.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Hobart Ames Foundation Cemetery Fund, 4275 Buford Ellington Road, Grand Junction, TN 38039.  (The Ames Plantation is a 501(c)(3) organization)