WHITE STONE—James Trahern Micklem Sr., 97, of White Stone died at home, January 28, 2024.
Born May 14, 1926, and raised in Prince George County, he was the dutiful son of the late Austen Clifton Micklem Sr. and Alice Trahern Cook Micklem.
He is predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Jean Wilson Micklem; his twin brother, Austen Clifton Micklem Jr.; and his brother, Roland Thomas Micklem.
Jimmy, or Bombie, as he was dubbed by his first granddaughter, was an educator, a historian, a storyteller, a sailor, a singer, a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, colleague and community member. He never wavered from his duties to his family and lovingly cared for, served breakfast to, and transported his great-grandsons Oliver and Ashlin to school each morning until he was 95. He loved being near the water or on a sailboat singing and commanding his ship and he stayed in command until his sails were lowered and his ship came into harbor.
Growing up during the great depression and wanting to “dress to impress,” and assert his independence, he began a paper route to earn money, waking at 4 a.m. each morning to deliver newspapers before school. Jimmy attended Hopewell High School until he was 17, at which time he left school to join the US Navy. He served aboard the Destroyer USS Hughes as a radio man second class during World War II in the South Pacific until his ship was hit and severely damaged. He spent the remainder of his service with the 9th Pacific Fleet until the end of the war.
Upon his discharge in 1946, he returned home to Hopewell, where he worked as a jeweler apprentice and attended night classes in Richmond to complete his high school education. At the urging of his future wife, (Jean and Jimmy were married June 12, 1948) and with assistance from the G.I. Bill, he enrolled in Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University extension program eventually moving to Blacksburg and receiving his B.S. in 1952. During his senior year at V.P.I. Jimmy was appointed Chief Justice of the Civilian Honor Court of the Student Council. Jimmy received his M.Ed. from the University of Virginia in 1962.
He began his teaching career in Petersburg Public Schools and Newport News Public Schools. He was a high school teacher, an elementary school teacher and assistant principal for Petersburg Public Schools. He also served as a school social worker, general supervisor and director for the Petersburg City Head Start Program. Jimmy became the director of special services and general supervisor, overseeing the integration of Petersburg Public Schools before becoming supervisor for special education services at the Virginia Department of Education in Richmond. He ended his career as director of the Division of Special Education at the Virginia Department of Education where he served in that position from 1972 until his retirement in 1988.
Jimmy was honored with numerous awards and recognitions during his career. These included Outstanding Child Advocate for “consistently demonstrating his concern for the welfare and happiness of children.” He served as president of the Council for Exceptional Children, Virginia Education Association’s Special Education Department and the Virginia Council of Industrial Education Clubs. In 1978 he received the Virginia Council of Administrators of Special Education Award of Excellence, which was subsequently named the James T. Micklem Award of Outstanding Excellence.
Jimmy also served on many boards and in leadership of numerous local organizations including the Southside Area Mental Health Association, the Tri-City Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Southside Area Community Action Committee and the Men’s Club of Christ and Grace Episcopal Church. He was appointed to the Governors Advisory Council on the Needs of Handicapped Children and Adults, the Virginia Council for the Deaf, the Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Council and the Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect to name a few.
After his “retirement” Jimmy and his wife Jean became deeply entrenched in the preservation of historic City Point. He spent much of his time supporting efforts to revive the area, even personally purchasing and restoring several homes himself. He participated in leadership in numerous historic preservation associations and loved nothing more than sharing his historic knowledge of both Virginia and City Point with all who would listen. He loved, most of all, restoring the home he shared with his beloved Jean, cleaning up the neighborhood and watching the sunset on the “Mighty James River.”
Jimmy’s devotion to his wife Jean was unmatched. Following their long overdue move to more accessible housing in Richmond due to her progressing MS, he spent her final years caring for and devoting his energy to ensuring her comfort, moving to White Stone, where together they spent her final months.
Jimmy is survived by his son, James T. Micklem Jr., his daughter, Ruth G. Micklem (Kristi); his grandchildren, Suzanne A. Shepherd, Elizabeth G. Shepherd, Briana V. Hairfield and Michael M. Van Audenhove; his great-grandchildren, Liliana, Oliver, James, Ashlin and Eleanor; his baby brother, Colbert Farrar Micklem; and a large and loving extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Expressions of gratitude are extended to those family and friends who visited and cared for Jimmy during his physical decline, especially to Donna Pirnat.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m. February 24 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 505 Cedar Lane, Hopewell.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to a charity or cause that is meaningful to you and that is consistent with upholding the values of a kind, just, loving, equitable and democratic society.
J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
