James Lovick Gammell

James Lovick Gammell, age 87, of Atlanta died Friday January 20, 2011 after a brief battle with cancer, He was born on July 13, 1924 in Montgomery, Alabama. He moved to the Atlanta area when he was 2 years old, with his mother, Loretta Allen Gammell, and older brother, George, after the death of his father, William Walter Gammell. George went to work for the Atlanta Journal Constitution at age 11 as a paperboy to support the family and worked his entire career at the newspaper. Jimmy attended Boy's High School in Atlanta for a while but graduated from McDonough High School in 1940.

Jimmy joined the United States Navy on July 14, 1942, the day after his eighteenth birthday. He served for two years as a radio operator on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Cowpens in the Pacific Theater during World War II and was stationed at Barber Field in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jimmy was discharged in 1945 and entered the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Georgia Tech. He continued to serve in the Naval Reserve after his graduation from Tech in 1949. Jimmy was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1955 and Lieutenant-Commander in 1960. He retired as a full Commander on September 30, 1968.

Jimmy received a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1948 and worked for Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph until his retirement in 1985. He married Caroline Isabelle Phillips on August 20, 1949 in Atlanta, Georgia. She received a Bachelor's degree in Bacteriology from Georgia State College for Women in 1949.

Caroline and Jimmy were very active in their congregation at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah in Decatur, Georgia for over 60 years. Jimmy was a longtime member of the Laurel Ridge Lions Club and a volunteer with the Pioneers of Southern Bell. Jimmy and Caroline traveled extensively covering all fifty states and six continents. After retiring they enjoyed many years square dancing with the Silver Stars and even traveled internationally to perform.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Caroline Phillips Gammell; a daughter, Louise Gammell Iconis and her husband Kevin Edward Iconis; two sons, William Walter Gammell and Phillip Julian Gammell and his wife Vivian Seaone Gammell; three grandsons, Michael Allen Iconis and his wife Cathy Blasdell Iconis, Christopher Edward Iconis and his wife Catlin Blindauer Iconis, and Blake James Gammell; one granddaughter, Briley Lynn Gammell; and one great-granddaughter, Isabelle Lynn Iconis.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 27, from 6-8pm and a memorial service will be held in the chapel of A.S. Turner & Sons, 2773 N. Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30033 on Saturday, January 28, at 2pm with visitation for one hour before the service. In lieu of flowers please make donations in memory of James L. Gammell to the Lutheran World Relief or Alzheimer's Association.


Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033