James Lawrence Medcalf, Sr.

Mr. James Lawrence Medcalf, Sr., age 96, of Decatur died Friday, May 2, 2008.  He was a long time businessman in Decatur, where he owned a service station at the corner of Sycamore and E. Ponce de Leon Avenue.  Later he worked for and retired from Callaway Oldsmobile in Decatur.  He graduated from Decatur High School.  While attending Southern Tech, studying engineering, he worked as a DJ for WGST radio station in Atlanta.  During World War II he worked for civil service, assigned to the Bell Bomber plant in Marietta, GA as well as Buffalo, NY, where he was a redesign Engineer on the B-29.  Mr. Medcalf was a lifetime member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Decatur, where he and his wife Catherine were one of the first nine founding families.  He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Mary Catherine (Jones) Medcalf.  He leaves behind, one daughter and three sons, Mary Catherine Medcalf Coots and husband Kenneth of Panama City, FL,  James Lawrence Medcalf, Jr. and wife Carol of Jackson, GA, William George Medcalf and wife Virginia of Stone Mountain, GA and Thomas Edward Medcalf and wife Toni of Atlanta; eleven grandchildren, twenty-seven great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. Monday morning, May 5th at St. Thomas More Catholic Church with Monsignor Paul Fogarty as celebrant.  Interment will follow at Decatur Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Our Lady Perpetual Help Cancer Home, 760 Pollard Blvd., Atlanta, GA  30315 or Hospice Atlanta, 1244 Park Vista Drive, Atlanta, GA 30319.  The family will receive friends from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Sunday evening, May 4th with a Rosary at 6:00 P.M. at A. S. Turner & Sons.