James Boyd “J.B.” Christopher, Sr, age 83, passed away on Friday, May 31, following a brief illness. Funeral services to celebrate his life will be held on Wednesday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m. in the Oconee Church of God of Oconee. Words of remembrance will be shared by family members. Burial will follow in the Bay Springs Cemetery of Tennille. Pastor Gary Yonce will officiate. Pallbearers will be Travis Christopher, Landon Christopher, Blake Hall, Clint Hall, Riley Hunt, Alan Conger, Larry Cooper, Christopher Godfrey, and Joel Cochran. Honorary Pallbearers will be Emmitt Hall and Harold Channell. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service at the Oconee Church of God.
Mr. Christopher was born in Morgan County to the late Homer Lamar Christopher and the late Katie Rachel Aaron Christopher, his family relocating several times in his youth before settling in Washington County. As a teenager, he worked several jobs at Lockhart’s Drugstore, Channell’s Service Station, and the Cotton Mill in Tennille. J.B. joined the National Guard in 1958, serving a five-year term. In 1959, Mr. Christopher graduated from the Tennille High School, where he met his soon-to-be wife of 65 years. Following graduation, he began a 49-year career with Engelhard Corporation, working in various leadership positions. J.B. loved his community, faithfully serving as Oconee Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief and City of Oconee Councilperson. Mr. Christopher was a devout Christian and longtime member of the Oconee Church of God, providing the church with his musical talents as a guitar player and singer. In retirement, he and his wife often traveled to the Unicoi Springs Camp Resort in Helen, where he would lead praise singing on the clubhouse porch. J.B. relocated to Savannah in 2019 to be near family. Mr. Christopher is preceded in death by an infant daughter; sisters, Martha Collins, Sally Warren, and Shirley Whitaker; and brother, Lester Christopher.
Survivors include his wife, Cora Mildred Cooper Christopher; son, James Boyd Christopher, Jr and wife Karen Brantley Christopher of Savannah; grandchildren, Gail Christopher Hall and husband Clinton of Savannah and Travis Christopher and wife Ashley of Savannah; and great-grandchildren, Rachel Makayla Hall and fiancé Riley Hunt, Clinton Blake Hall, Amelia Joy Christopher, and Landon Bryce Christopher all of Savannah.
Donations may be made to the Oconee Church of God, P.O. Box 37, Oconee, Georgia 31067.
Online condolences may be expressed at mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.