James William Jim Dempsey

Passed away on July 12, 2015, from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia. He was pre-deceased by his late wife Carletta, to whom he was married for 54 years, and his son James W. Dempsey, Jr., who died in 2011 at the age of 53. He is survived by his wife Connie Brown, his daughter Denise (Mike), Jim Jr.'s widow Kelly, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Jim was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Clarence and Sara Dempsey on December 26, 1930. He spent his childhood and high school years in Detroit. After high school, Jim went to Huntington College in Indiana, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history, followed by a bachelor's degree in divinity. He and Carletta met in college, married and had two children, Denise and Jim Jr. Jim spent 18 years as a Methodist minister, serving five different churches in Michigan. After leaving the active ministry, he earned two masters' degrees, one in education and one in psychology. He then spent 18 years serving in the admissions department at Western Michigan University, retiring in 1991 as Associate Director. In 2007, Jim moved to Sacramento, where he became actively involved at Westminster Presbyterian Church and volunteered weekly at the Friends of the Library's Book Den. In 2009, Jim and Connie married, forming a new, loving blended family, which includes her two grown children, Steven and Wendy, and their families. Music was an integral part of Jim's life. He had a beautiful tenor voice, and sang and soloed in a variety of community and church choirs and productions throughout his life. He loved good food and wine. He was an avid reader, with a particular interest in early Christian history and Progressive Christianity. Jim was a true liberal and proud of it. We miss Jim's kind heart and gentle spirit, his winning smile, his keen intellect, his sense of humor and his deeply felt concern for all people. The family would like to express its thanks to the wonderful staff at The Palms for their loving care during Jim's extended illness. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 1, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1300 N Street, Sacramento, 95814. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association (google LBDA), the Music at Noon program at Westminster Presbyterian Church, or a charity of your choice.