BYHALIA The funeral service for James Ruben (J.R.) Grantham, born Dec. 16, 1932, was Tuesday at Twin Oaks Funeral Home with interment in Twin Oaks Memorial Gardens. Grantham was born in Gravelhill to Andrew Byrd and Omie Lee Smith Grantham. His nickname was “Jig.” He grew up in a sharecropping family during the Great Depression. He served eight years in the Air Force. He and his wife , Bobbie Nell Brannon, married in 1960. He worked at McQuay’s in Grenada for a time. Later, the family moved to Memphis to join the Post Office. In 1968, he was working the day Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in downtown Memphis. He shared stories of having to have a “pass” to go to work during the days of martial law due to the riots that followed. He leaves his wife, Bobbie N. Grantham, of Byhalia, MS, son and daughter-in-law (Jeff and Cindy Grantham) of Walnut, MS, and daughter and son-in-law (Terri and Tad Fisher) of Buhl, Idaho, brother and sister-in-law (Armon and Venice Grantham) of Stockdale, Texas, sister-in-law and brother-in-law (Ann and Bob Walz) of Byhalia, MS, eight grandchildren and their spouses (Kristy and Larry Fortner, Bradley and Amy Grantham, Cassie Grantham, Alan and Olivia Fortner, David and Tonya Fortner, Nikki Fortner, Amanda and Jeremy Mulgrew, Kalie Fisher) and 11 beautiful great-granchildren (Tyler, Timothy, Tanna, Justin, Krista, Jonathan Robert (J.R), Hannah, Hailey, David Jr. Wesley, Jason and Mason), and several close nieces and nephews.
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