James Alston Marrow

1923 - 2008

Rev. Dr. James Alston Marrow, 84, a retired Presbyterian pastor, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and minister to many, passed away Saturday, May 10, 2008.
Memorial service: 2 p.m. Thursday at Ridglea Presbyterian Church.
Memorials: Should friends desire, memorials may be made to Ridglea Presbyterian Church, 6201 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76116.
Jimmy's outgoing spirit and warm acceptance of all he met enabled him to win hundreds of people to Christ. He thoroughly enjoyed visiting members of his church and was known as the friendly pastor with the Southern accent and beautiful white hair. He was able to help so many people because of his nonjudgmental attitude and sincere interest in everyone he came in contact with, especially those needing counseling.
A native of Clarksville, Va., James Marrow was born Nov. 13, 1923, to James and Myra Marrow, the youngest of five children. He accepted Christ in high school and dedicated himself to becoming a minister. He earned his bachelor of divinity in 1947 and his master of theology in 1952 from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. While serving as associate minister of Ridglea Presbyterian Church he earned the doctor of ministry degree from Austin Presbyterian Seminary.
Jimmy met his beloved wife, Myra Joyce Rhodes, while serving his first pastorate in Rocky Point, N.C., and they were married in 1950. He also served churches in Goochland, Va., Wilmington, N.C., and Kannapolis, N.C., before he and Myra made the long trek to Arlington, where he was pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church from 1963 until 1973, growing that congregation considerably in numbers and spirit with his 24- hour energetic and loving ministry. In February 1973 he accepted a call to Ridglea Presbyterian Church as associate minister, where he served until his retirement in 1989. His ministry continued with interim positions in Wichita Falls, Stephenville, and as chaplain at Trinity Terrace.
Jimmy served the "larger church" as commissioner to the General Assembly in 1957, 1969 and 1973. He and Myra taught several Synod workshops at Trinity University in San Antonio. He served as vice moderator of Trinity Presbytery and was a director and counselor at many Presbyterian camps in North Carolina and Texas. He was actively involved in the Westside Ministerial Association from which WESTAID evolved. Jimmy was on the board of the Presbyterian Night Shelter and the executive board of Tarrant County Multiple Sclerosis Association. He was a member of the Ruitan Club in Virginia and a Rotarian in Texas.
He was an avid athlete and competitor in baseball, softball, football and golf, known as the "golfing evangelist" on the Ridglea Country Club links. (The slogan for his retirement gala was "Jimmy's Goin' Golfin'.") Other favorite hobbies were gardening, bridge and chess.
Because of Jimmy's ability to relate to people from all walks of life and his enthusiasm for Christ and his church, he influenced hundreds to become members of the churches he served.
Survivors: His wife, Myra Rhodes Marrow; children, James "Al" Marrow III, Joy Williams and husband, Eugene, Melody Ripley, and Page Marrow and wife, Karen; grandchildren, Kathy Lea, James Williams and wife, McKenzie, Cameron Ripley, Andrew Ripley, Madison Marrow and Megan Marrow; four great-grandchildren; Jimmy's sister, Dorothy Ward; and many nieces and nephews.