James Morris Maxey, age 70, of Rutherfordton, NC, passed away at 2:42 a.m. Saturday Jan. 2, 2010, at Rutherford Hospital, Rutherfordton, NC.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, at Hilligoss-Shrader Funeral Home, 705 S. Main Tuscola with Pastors Cecil Smith and Michael Snelgrove officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Ivesdale.

Jim was born May 10, 1939 in Kinmundy, IL, the son of James Burdette and Vera Morris Maxey. He married JoAnn Walsh Snyder on February 25, 1983. She survives.

Also surviving are son James Mark (Pam) Maxey of Tuscola; daughters Kelly (Kelly) Gaddis of Urbana; Lauri (David) Quick of Tolono; Tracy (Mark) Geiler of Kinmundy; and Angie (Jaison) Malan of Rutherfordton, NC. Mr. Maxey was also blessed with 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, 2 Brothers: Charles (Millie) Bassett of Danville, IL, and Louis (Barb) Maxey of Decatur, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents and son C.J. Snyder.

Jim graduated from Kinmundy-Alma High School in 1957. He moved to Tuscola in 1957 and upon retiring from Cabot Corporation, he moved to North Carolina. Jim played baseball in the EI League for a number of years and was a former member of the Tuscola Auxiliary Police Department, Little League coach, and Boy Scouts volunteer. Jim was a member of Cornerstone Fellowship in Forest City, NC, and a past member of First Christian Church in Tuscola.

Jim never knew a stranger and was known for his kind and generous spirit. Formerly an avid hunter, he also loved baseball and enjoyed golf, woodworking, and landscaping as well.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association or a local food bank.