James Lee Elliott

Jim Elliott lived life to the fullest - every single day of his 73 years. To say he had a zest for life would be an understatement. In fact, there were not enough hours in the day for Jim to squeeze in all of the things he was so passionate about. Jim loved working hard, playing hard, and spending time with his family and friends. His four grandchildren were his absolute pride, and the source of his greatest joy.
James (Jim) Lee Elliott, of Jackson, Ohio, passed away in his home on September 10th, surrounded by his family.
Born in Gallipolis, Ohio on June 24, 1943, to Morris G. and Pearl Massie Elliott, Jim established his legendary work ethic early in life. Always an early riser, Jim had a paper route as a young boy in elementary school, and spent his teenage years mowing lawns for many neighbors. It was a common thing to hear folks say, "That Jim is a worker!"
Jim carried that work ethic forward to adulthood, graduating from Gallia Academy High School in 1961, then earning a Business Education degree from Marshall University. He taught elementary school at Little Hocking Elementary in Washington County for a year before moving up to teach Business Education at Warren High School. True to his entrepreneurial nature, Jim also concurrently established a branch of the Gallipolis Ice Company while teaching in that community.
He soon returned to his roots in Gallipolis to work at his family's business, Elliott's Appliance. The late Terry Johnson encouraged him to work at Johnson's Mobile Homes where Jim first discovered the vocation that would become his career. After just three years with Johnson's, Jim embarked on his own business journey in earnest, when he purchased D&W Homes in Jackson, Ohio.
Jim lived by the credo that if you love what you do for a living, you will never work a day in your life. He definitely loved his work, and built a thriving business in D&W Homes, which he owned and operated for 40 years with his friend and business partner, Bill Miller. Jim took great satisfaction in helping people realize the dream of home ownership, serving the tristate area from five locations in Southern Ohio and West Virginia.
Though he worked seemingly non-stop, Jim always found time to pursue his personal interests. A true renaissance man, Jim was a pilot, an athlete, and an amateur musician. He was an accomplished downhill snow skier, water skier, tennis player, and golfer, and competed in several marathons and triathlons. When he was 67 years old, he biked 500 miles across Iowa with his daughter and was hard to keep up with on that trek.
Those who knew Jim were struck by his warmth and humor, and his ability to find the silver lining in every situation. When confronted with an especially big problem or obstacle, Jim would take things in stride and was fond of saying, "You'll have that on the big jobs." His calm, reassuring attitude put those around him at ease and instilled confidence in his abilities to handle any situation.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Richard Elliott. He is survived by his partner, Karen Eachus, daughter Gwen Elliott, step-son Michael (Suzanne) Eachus, brother Larry (Linda) Elliott, sisters Lynn (Don) Mega and Eleanor (Harold) Trout, and four grandchildren, Samantha Elliott, Gabriel Elliott, James Elliott and Lauren Eachus.
An avid Buckeye fan, Jim loved to host football gatherings, whether it be at a home game, at the park front, or at a National Championship game. Jim genuinely cared about people, and made it his mission to ensure that everyone around him was happy and having a good time. His legacy is the love he shared with all of those who knew him.
Please join us in celebrating Jim's life and legacy by doing his favorite thing - gathering with us after the visitation to watch the Buckeyes.
The family will be receiving friends at the McCoy-Moore Funeral Home in Gallipolis on Saturday, September 17, 2016 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. A celebration will take place immediately following, at the French Art Colony, on First Avenue. Jim would be proud to see his friends sporting their favorite Buckeye attire at his visitation, and subsequent celebration in his honor.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in honor of Jim. www.pancan.org; 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200; Manhattan Beach, CA 90266