James Madison Broom

James Madison (Jim) Broom, 77, beloved husband of Connie Pafford Broom and a lifelong resident of Decatur, Ga., passed away peacefully in the arms of his family on Tuesday, May 28, at Hospice Atlanta. He was co-founder and retired president of Southern Champion Construction, a leader in the construction of water and waste treatment facilities throughout the southeast.
Born on November 21, 1935, Jim was the son of the late Charlotte Murphey Broom and James Madison Broom, Sr. As a youth, he was active in all sports, as well as Boy Scouts - eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He was a graduate of Decatur High School, where he excelled at varsity football. He received his ME degree from Georgia Institute of Technology - his beloved Tech - where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity.
From his earliest days to the last person he met on this earth, Jim was defined by his loving nature, his strength of character, his sense of humor and his unfailing loyalty to family and friends. He was a dedicated son, brother, husband, father and grandfather, and a touchstone for living a life shaped by respect, fairness and faith. Jim was a man of God who demonstrated his beliefs every day of his life. His lasting friendships - with his ATO brothers, business associates (and competitors), neighbors and rain or shine golf foursome - were testament to his good nature and his abiding belief in the goodness of all. When he started his own business, Jim's late mother-in-law, Sally Pafford, gave him a copy of The Optimist's Creed, which had belonged to her father. It was a great source of strength and guidance for him, and captured the values Jim strived to represent:

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

In addition to his wife Connie, Jim leaves behind his beloved sons, Matt (Sheri) Broom of Savannah and Ward (Donna) Broom of Atlanta; treasured grandsons Clayton and Maxwell Broom; siblings Candler Murphey (Colline) Broom of Decatur and Mary Ellen Broom (John) Imlay of Atlanta, and sister-in-law Martha Pafford Schindhelm and husband Robert of Bridgewater, CT., as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Jim's name be made to either of the following organizations: Hospice Atlanta Center, 1244 Park Vista Dr N.E., Atlanta, GA 30319. The Lewy Body Dementia Association, Inc., 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047. Interment will be private, followed by a memorial service on Monday, June 3, at 3: PM, at Decatur Presbyterian Church. A reception will immediately follow at the church. A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.


Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033