JAMES CLEM - OBITUARY

James Albert Clem, 71, of Chickamauga, Ga., went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, at his residence. He was born in Elkmont to the late Charlie and A.Z. Clem, but he had lived in the Chickamauga area since 1966 and was a member of Oakwood Baptist Church. He had worked as a heavy-equipment operator for more than 40 years and retired from the city of Chattanooga in 2000 after more than 10 years of service in the Engineering Department. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and golfing and was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather who will be greatly missed by all who knew him. 

He was preceded in death by his two infant siblings, two nephews, one niece, one great-niece, one great-nephew, brother-in-law and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lester Mason and Bertha Mason Stone.

Survivors include his loving wife of more than 53 years, Mary Ann Clem of Chickamauga, Ga.; son and daughter-in-law, James Anthony Clem and wife Diane of Harrison, Tenn.; daughter, Debora Ann Clem of Decatur, Ga.; brother, Charles Clem and wife Martha Ann of Elkmont; sister, Alice Holderfield and husband Boyce of Florence; sister-in-law, Janice Clem and husband Homer of Athens; brother-in-law, Morris Mason and wife Joyce of Buffalo, Texas; two granddaughters, Ashley and Katie Clem; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Fort Oglethorpe Chapel with Rev. Allen Farris, Rev. Joe Hardin and Dr. R.C. Reynolds officiating. Burial will follow in the Chickamauga City Cemetery. The family will begin receiving friends after 2 p.m. Friday and prior to the service Saturday at W. L. Wilson & Sons Funeral Homes in Fort Oglethorpe.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Parkinson’s Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305 or at 1-800-223-2732; Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163 at 1-800-708-7644; or Amedisys Hospice of Dalton, 1510 N. Thornton Ave., Suite 200, Dalton, GA 30720 at 706-259-2518.