Pastor James Butler Fleet

1927 - 2022

Fleet, Pastor James Butler

July 5, 1927 - January 23, 2022

Pastor James Butler Fleet, age 94, went home to his Lord and Savior on January 23, 2022, at Guilford Health Care in Greensboro, NC.

Uncle Jimmy was born July 5, 1927. He attended Aycock School, graduated from Greensboro (now Grimsley) High School, attended the Old Wake Forest College where he played baseball, and Southern Seminary. He pastored churches in Madison County, Woodstock County, Gore and Virginia Beach, VA. In retirement, he moved back to Greensboro, and was active at Eller Memorial Baptist Church, until failing health stopped his attendance. His pastor, Bruce Vaughn, said Jimmy was kind-hearted; he loved and cared about so many people. He would pick up many neighbor children and bring them to church. At times, he was hard to find, since he would be out meeting and caring for people in the neighborhood. He was a joy to be with and could carry his own in spirited conversations on many topics. In Jimmy's words, "He was a Christian man and his heart's desire was for people to accept Jesus as Savior," especially his family, and he wanted the family to know how much he loved them.

Jimmy grew up in Greensboro and lived a short time in Richmond, VA. He started riding horses at age 4. "Pa didn't mess around and stuck me on the horse." Years later he won the high jump on Smokey and rode in the Madison, VA Fox Hunt, and the Greensboro Sedgefield Hunt, started by his grandfather, Pa (Charles) Hendrix, former Greensboro mayor, who also helped to build the original O'Henry and King Cotton Hotels. As a child he liked to play marbles, loved math and, true to his southern roots, his favorite foods were spinach, sweet corn, and Aunt Annie's blackberry roll.

Declining health and mobility preceded his move to Heritage Green, where he attended a Bible Study and Church regularly and enjoyed reading his Bible, devotions and books about missionaries.

Jimmy was preceded in death by parents James Bennett Fleet and May Hendrix Fleet; sisters Catherine Fleet Tilley and Sarah Fleet Jones; niece Mary Jo Brooks Maquire.

He is survived by: his nephews and nieces Jim Brooks of Beech Mountain, NC; Dr. Chris Jones (Susan Jones) of Midlothian, VA; Catherine Jones of Greenbrae, CA; Spencer Jones (Shari Hershon) of New York, NY; Lynn Dixon (Will Dixon) of Raleigh, NC; great-nephews Major William Archbold (Kristen Archbold), Brian Jones, Sam Jones, great-niece Bailey Jones, and very dear friend of 72 years Mary Elizabeth Delavigne of Washington, DC. The family extends a special thanks to Jenny Murray, for all she did for Uncle Jimmy, since he moved into independent living. She treated him like her own uncle, visiting often and keeping him stocked with 3 Musketeers bars and ice cream! Many thanks to Tomeka McNeil, who managed his care and other caregivers.

Jimmy had his body donated to Bowman Gray Medical School for medical research. The Celebration of Life Service will be Saturday, June 4 at 11:30 AM at Eller Memorial Baptist Church, 1200 Fourth St., Greensboro, NC.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to:

NC Missions Offering https://www.ncmissionsoffering.org/give/

NC Baptist State Convention https://ncbaptist.org/give/

Baptist International Missions Board https://www.imb.org/generosity/