James "Jim" Orland Moody, Sr.

James Orland "Jim" Moody Sr., 86, died on July 20th, 2016 in Edmond, OK with his wife, Carol, at his side. They shared nearly 61 years of marriage together. Born on a farm near the Natchez Trace in Kosciusko, MS on June 4, 1930, Jim was the first born twin son of Emory Orland and Mabel Ruth Murdock Moody. Jim graduated from Kosciusko High School and Oklahoma City University. Jim served in the Air Force as a Master Sargent during the Korean War.

Jim started his business career in banking and soon became a realtor/broker specializing in home sales, first for George Roark in the late 60’s. He was given the opportunity to learn the homebuilding business from Jim Grissom and continued  as a  home builder building countless starter homes in additions in West Oklahoma City and in  Edmond.  He later ventured into the townhome market in the early 80’s, following Alton Jennings retirement, completing a development on 118th and Penn.  Jim was an active member of St Paul’s Lutheran Church at 25th and Blackwelder and was instrumental in the church moving to its current location on Council Rd. Jim and Carol were active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He will be remembered for his generosity by his family, friends, charities, and church missionaries.

Jim was a private pilot who enjoyed taking friends and family on sight-seeing trips around Oklahoma and returning to his childhood home for holidays where his family continued to live where he loved vacationing and  doing chores like cutting hay, milking cows and mending fences. He was a farm boy at heart and had always hoped to return there later in life. He so enjoyed getting back to his roots. He loved Oklahoma but he had Mississippi blood in his veins. Jim continued building homes in Edmond until his early retirement after being diagnosed with a debilitating depression that he battled the rest of his life. The last 5 years he was in the care of Grace Living Center in Edmond whose staff the family would like to thank for their loving care of Jim and for their compassion showered on Carol and family. In addition to Grace Living Center of Edmond, the Moody family would like to thank Good Shepherd Hospice for ministering to Jim and family during these last few months.

Jim is survived by wife, Carol, his twin brother, Hugh Leland, and sisters, Helen and Dorothy Anne; his two sons Craig and Jim Jr. and their wives, Jane and Deborah; Grandchildren Trey, Colin, Kimberly and Patrick; and great-grandsons Miles, Van, and Henry. He was predeceased by his parents, sisters Ruth and Frances. The funeral service will be on Monday, July 25, 2016 at 1:00pm at OK Cremation and Funeral Home at 2415 N. Walnut in Oklahoma City. Pastor Rick Hermansen will preside. Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 24, 2016 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, also at OK Cremation and Funeral Home.  Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma.  http://mhaok.org/