James Sheffield Crowell

James (Jim) Sheffield Crowell, beloved husband of Marion Richter Crowell for 52 years, died on Monday, May 6, 2019 at the age of 81. He was the only child of the late Ernest Glenn and Beulah Sheffield Crowell of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1960 with a B.S. in Chemistry and from the University of South Carolina in 1963 with an M.S. in Chemistry.  He worked his entire career for the Eastman Chemical Company, first as an industrial research chemist and later as a chemistry teacher and trainer for large numbers of company employees.

A soft spoken southern gentleman, he was a devoted UNC Tar Heel fan, attending basketball and football games, educational seminars and traveling with the Alumni Association.

He was a lifelong and accomplished bridge player, achieving the title of Gold Life Master. Every morning he did the newspaper crossword puzzle, word jumble, cryptoquote and Sudoku, rarely failing to get a correct answer.

Jim shared a love of gardening given to him by his father and maintained a large and productive vegetable patch, grape vines, fruit trees, day lilies and the largest blueberry cages in the area.

He was a member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church for 50+ years and a faithful participant in its ministries including the Trinity Sunday School Class and the church Furniture Ministry.  He was also very active in community service, serving as president of numerous area clubs and organizations.

Jim is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marion; sons, Alexander Sheffield (Lauren) of Durham, NC, and Stephen Richter (Andrea) of Columbia, SC; grandson, Daniel Sheffield of Durham, NC; sisters-in-law, Margaret Sims Douglass (Charles) of Clemson, SC, and Betty Richter Tabor (Mike) of Greenwood, SC; and by several nieces and nephews and grandnephews and grandnieces.

The family invites all friends to a memorial service on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 2:00 pm at First Broad Street United Methodist Church, 100 East Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660. The family reception will follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Furniture Ministry at the church.